Brotherhood Of The Hunt
by RWBRyan
Summary: In the aftermath of the war with the hunters, the brotherhood must find it's place in the world...and they are about to find out that sometimes, humanity can be more evil than anything... Sequel to the award winning "The War Of The Hunters"
1. A Typical Day

Chapter 1: A typical Day.

Jason really hated Lizards.

Well, that may be a slightly obscure statement. Jason did not hate lizards in general. He hated big lizards. He hated lizards that threatened your life. Sure there were poisonous lizards, and other such things, that were plenty small. But Jason did not hate those with the passion he hated a particular kind of lizard.

He hated the kind that was about...well, it was very big. And it was a very peculiar type of lizard. It was unique in that the thing had five heads. And something that made it _very_ unique, and made Jason hate it all the more, was the fact that the middle head just so happened to be able to breath fire. And that fire was something Jason did not want to be caught in, and so he hated the slimy, reptilian, big-ass lizard even more for it.

Long story short...Jason really hated Hydras. And the fact that he was having to run around for his life, with one nipping and biting at his precious buttocks as he ran, was not helping thing at all...

"Would you people hurry those freaking arrows up!" He screamed at the group of boys a good fifty yards away, readying a type of explosive arrow that they had been assured would destroy this foul creature without the bad side-effect should it's head not being cauterized upon decapitation. Or so they had been told by one of their experts back at camp.

"Just keep distracting that thing Jason, your really good at it!" a boy named Mikhail shouted back. He was working as fast as he could to set it up, but it sure as hell wasn't fast enough for Jason. With a hydra on his tail, nothing could come faster...except death. Death could take a card and wait it's turn.

He ran for all he was worth in an essential circle, the hydra snapping at his back with the speed of a rattlesnake. Jason had already been singed by the things fiery breath, and he was hoping to the gods that he could get away before it tried that move again. He heard another growl from directly behind him, and made a leap forward just as the hydra head snapped forward.

Jason felt it's hot breathe on his back and the snap of it's jaws slamming shut. He had once again just barely dodged a bite, though he would swear that he had lost a chunk of his pants in it's jaws. Mikhail took a moment to look up from preparing his arrows to congratulate Jason.

"Hey, nice one there man. You sure can be pretty springy when you have to be!" He hollered. How the boy could laugh while his lieutenant was being attacked by a hydra was beyond Jason, but the boy had always been like that.

"Well, feel free to help out at any time!" Jason screamed.

"Almost ready man, just give us a another couple of seconds!"

Jason swore. They had to be getting a kick out of this. Was he too strict on them for messing something up? Was this some sort of sick, twisted type of revenge for this group of brotherhood? Well, he might want to make a point next time he talked to them. A point that you don't take revenge in situations like this. But this was assuming he could last the few seconds that Mikhail had said they needed.

Next time, _he_ was going to be the one to run in circles with a monster chewing on their butt...

"Alright then, we got em' ready Jason. Lead that five-headed Godzilla wannabe right over here!"

About damn time...

Jason made a ninety degree turn, just as the hydra pitched back and sent a stream of fire right at him. He covered his face to shield it, and ran dead straight for the group of boys posted a ways away. He felt a strange burning sensation at his butt, and realized with some rather embarrassing thoughts that his rear end had been set on fire. But he really could not afford to brush out the flames, just make his best impression of a cartoon character making flames on his way to the group now pointing their bows at the monstrosity behind him.

Jason ran straight for them for all he was worth. He felt the hot breathe of the creatures breathe and the snapping of air as it bit and reached for him. His teeth were gritted tight against one another in concentration as he forced his legs to work faster and faster. One might think that the boy was making an impression of the road-runner cartoon, if not for his flaming behind and huge reptile trying to eat him.

He dove down just as his brothers fired off their volley. When he fell, he immediately rolled over and smothered his butt fire, relishing the fact that it was now out. Then he turned to see the hydra had been momentarily stunned by the volley of arrows that had just been punched into it. Then it roared in defiance.

Jason watched the fuses burn down to the explosives within the arrows, and gave the hydra a grin.

"Eat this, you overgrown five headed gecko!"

With a shattering explosion, the hydra exploded. And Jason had just a second to react before he was catapulted several feet back by the force of the explosion. And then, just seconds later, he was smacked in the face by the blood and guts that had sprayed out from the creature. He gagged and spit, the blood even in his mouth. Thankfully, most of it's remains vanished in a flurry of gold dust, though he was still soaked in blood.

Mikhail got up along with the rest of the hunting party and walked over to Jason. Mikhail was a son of Ares, and extremely muscular. He also had the cocky attitude to match, and he never got enough of tormenting Jason. Despite this, Jason had come to favor the boy, as there really was very few he would trust to have his back in a fight.

But Mikhail was not helping his mood right now. Which was annoyed, to say the least.

"Well...that was impressive. Nice Forest Gump impression by the way."

Jason gave him an annoyed glare, and then retrieved his weaponry and bow. He did not bother to try to wipe of the blood, for it would take some serious scrubbing before the blood would come off his armor and clothing. Actually, he would probably burn these clothes after tonight.

"Next time we do this Mikhail, your going to be the bait."

Mikhail only chuckled in reply.

-Thirty Minutes Later-

The camp was alive and full of activity when the hunting party returned from their little expedition. Boys sparred and exercised. Some were taking it easy for today, playing cards or listening to music. Several of the brotherhood had actually managed to snare themselves laptops. Children of Hermes in the brotherhood got plenty of reasons to use their gifts.

Darren was sitting next to several and watching something on one of their laptops, which caused them all a great laugh. But he got an even bigger laugh when he saw Jason trudge into camp, still looking miserable from what he had just gone through. He walked up and grinned.

"Hello, oh great lieutenant. Have you had a good day?" he asked with mocking politeness. Jason stared at the son of Athena with a mocking smile. And then he addressed his sub-lieutenant with an equally sarcastic politeness.

"Why yes I have Darren. I have just spent a good three or so minutes being chased by a lizard that is the size of a several story building, that just so happens to breathe fire, and have nearly gotten my ass bitten off several times. On top of that, my brothers took their dear sweet time with their preparations on the new arrows, which worked beautifully. And we slew the hydra, never mind the fact that I have had my butt nicked and then set on fire, which will make bathroom visits a little painful. And I also been thoroughly covered in hydra blood, which if I might say so, stinks like hell. So yes Darren, I have had quite an exquisite day. How has yours?"

"Pretty good...I beat everyone at Risk."

Jason dropped his charade and simply glared. Darren saw the mood change and laughed like a rabid hyena, slapping his thigh in hysterics.

"I you don't mind...I am going to get out of these clothes and wash up. Watch the boys while I'm gone, would ya'?"

"Sure thing man..."

As Jason was walking away, he heard Darren whisper.

"Nice ass by the way..."

Jason whirled around and glared daggers at him, but Darren only laughed harder, this time making tears drop from his eyes.

"Just kidding man, just kidding!" he continued to laugh all the while as Jason made his way into his tent. Ripping off his stained armor, he tore off the stinky clothes and wiped at his body with a washcloth. He would get a proper shower later. Right now he needed food and some proper rest.

He opened his tent and sat among the his brothers. He listened to their joyful spouting and jeers. A smile crossed his face as he watched an listened to their young complaints and hopeful dreams. He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering all those days in his early career with them, wanting all the best for them. And he still did, his love for them not diminished in the slightest, not even since the war against those huntresses.

It was a touchy subject, the war. Many brothers still complained about it, even though Orion had finally revealed all the details of what transpired to make the war happen. But old rivalries are hard to get rid of, and many brothers still talked about the huntresses with icy contempt. Jason could sympathize, as he still did not trust women very much at all. He admitted to the skill of some of them, especially the lieutenant of the huntresses, that Thalia. But he still remembered the losses they had sustained, and while the war may have been declared on false pretenses, it's wounds ran deep.

He still remembered the way that in that final battle, how Orion had come to almost destroy Artemis once and for all. And then...it was still pretty confusing for him, even now. But he knew that Orion had somehow been healed of something, by none other than Artemis, the very goddess that they were fighting. And then that other goddess Nemesis, showed up. And she tried to kill Artemis, which Orion prevented. Jason could not help but wonder just what had snapped in Orion to suddenly have a change of heart that sudden, but Nemesis then tried to kill Orion. And that was when every member of them rose to defend him. They did not stand a chance against Nemesis in single combat, though Jason felt he may have made an impression with his personal stand.

And he thought back to how, when he lay there with a wound deep in his flesh, and his mind fading, how that goddess Artemis had come and healed him. Why she did that, he did not know, but apparently he was wrong on one account. Women might know what honor was, even if it was a little known subject for many of them. And so he allowed her to heal him, though it was probably more painful than actually being run through.

They had defeated Nemesis. They left their camp the next day. Jason remembered the quick shoot back that Thalia said when they complimented each other, and he had maintained a grudging respect for her. But only her, and no other huntress. They were all still second rate to him and the brotherhood, as he saw it.

There was a commotion as one of the brotherhood got out his guitar. Morgan, a son of Apollo, and probably the best singer Jason knew, had finally been coaxed into playing some tunes for them. He made a show of swiping his hair back over his face, in an impression of what some famous long-haired singers would do to impress the ladies when they were performing.

"So gents, I understand you all would like some music?" he asked with a smile, his white teeth dazzling bright.

"Yeah!" the boys shouted in a mock fan scream.

"Are you all ready to hear some music I say!"

"Yeah!"

"I can't hear you!"

"Just play some damn music already, geez!" one of them shouted, and there was a howl of laughter.

"Here we go!"

He began to play. It was one of the more popular songs that he liked, "In Our Blood" by HIM. He sang the lyrics with an unequal beauty, and he even seemed to outshine the original singer who sings it. Jason felt his mood brighten at the music. Morgan always had a calming effect on them, his singing being that good.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see that even Lord Orion had come out of his tent to listen to Morgan. He nodded at Jason, and then turned toward Morgan, a small smile on his face as Morgan finished his song. When he was done, the brotherhood let out a collective howling and cheering, though it wasn't very loud. There were only about twenty-five of them at the moment.

Morgan made a show of getting up and taking a bow, and then sat down, once again doing his "rock-star hair swish" move.

"So, any requests for the next act?"

"Cry Little Sister!" one of the brothers called out. There were some shouts of agreement.

"Alright then, let's get singing."

Jason paid even more attention to this song then the last. He had heard it several years ago and was captivated by the power of it. The way the vocals and instruments had created the perfect atmospheric blend, and the message within the lyrics. He closed his eyes and allowed Morgan to sing it, again being superb with his voice.

_Last fire will rise_

_ Behind those eyes_

_ Black house will rock_

_ Blind boys don't lie..._

Jason's mind was lost within the first round of lyrics. This song had special meaning for him.

_Immortal fear_

_ That voice so clear_

_ Through broken walls_

_ That scream I hear..._

Everyone braced for the chorus...

_Cry Little Sister!_

_ Thou shall not fall_

_ Come, come to your brother!_

_ Thou shall not die_

_ Unchain me sister!_

_ Thou shall not fear_

_ Love is with your brother_

_ Thou shall not kill!_

The song continued, but Jason's mind was on the power of the chorus. He thought back to when Orion had saved him from his abusive mother and sister, who were on the verge of outright killing him. He had promised that Jason would be immortal if he joined his this group he was planning. That he would not die of old age, and that he would never be afraid of anything ever again. The phrase about not killing still did not mean much to Jason, but he knew he could find meaning for it somewhere.

Orion removed his hand from Jason's shoulder and gave it a squeeze, in an almost fatherly way. Orion had adopted them all in a way. Most of the Brotherhood Of The Hunt was comprised of the abandoned and the homeless, and those whom had suffered greatly at the hands of women and girls. Orion had collected them all like lost puppies, which in a way, they were. And he had given them a family to depend on, a brotherhood stronger than most family ties. Which was one reason why their war with the huntresses harsh on them, for every brother felled was almost like their own blood being spilled.

But it made no sense to dwell on it, for the war was over by several months now, and it was time for the brotherhood to find it's place in this world. Last they heard, Artemis and her huntresses were almost completely on the opposite side of the country, near the Canadian border. It was best that some sizable distance remained between the two groups, at least for now.

Morgan finished the song, and the clapping rang out louder than some sword fights they had had. He made several kissing motions with his hands to all the boys, despite some faces being made at the motions. Then he sat down to enjoy dinner. Several boys had managed to snag a deer and quite a few lizards for dinner. The diet of the brotherhood was somewhat unconventional, but they really were not fond of just cruising town for food, unless they needed supplies of a different kind.

Jason bit into the meat of some kind of lizard, and found that it was actually very tasty. He remarked that he had helped kill one lizard today and was now eating another. That earned several grins as the boys near him heard. Lord Orion ate alone, as he usually did, a ways away from the main group. He seemed to enjoy eating his meals alone, and no one ever bothered him while he ate, unless it was necessary. He had been given a chunk of the deer, and was actually much more modest than the boys, who simply tore into their food like starving wolves.

Jason continued to eat, ignoring the typical yelling and loud gossip going on around him. Many boys just couldn't seem to talk at least quietly, as not to disturb others. And so the air was full of gossip from the release of the next Twilight movie, which was a disgrace to vampires, to finding a way to smuggle in some more electronics from the stores in the nearby town.

Jason finished his meat and was sampling the various different breads that some brotherhood had decided to simply take from the nearby town store. They may have mostly hunted their food, but that didn't mean that everything just happened to walk along. Bread and other things needed to be collected, and that is where the children of Hermes came into play once again.

If we did not have those kinds here, we probably starve someday, Jason thought to himself. He had just swallowed another bite when Orion stood up and pounded his fist on the table, almost instantly making the noise stop and every brother's attention completely on him. He observed him and smiled, every brother finding comfort in that happy face of his.

"I first must say that I am greatly pleased by the conduct and hunting skill that you all have exhibited. You have made me proud to call you brothers."

No one made a noise, but their spirits soared.

"As a reward for such fine service, I am going to grant some leave for all of you."

There were some rapidly beating hearts now.

"One group will stay here and tend the camp. Another will be allowed to freely roam the town and do what pleases them, so far as they don't do anything drastic. I think you all know what I mean by drastic?"

They nodded.

Orion gave them one last smile before turning to leave.

"First group will be lead by Jason and half of the brothers. The next will be led by Darren and the other half. We will continue this pattern for at least a week, and then move on to some different hunting grounds. That is all." he left without another word. Orion had always been very direct with them, and also very laconic.

There were some cheers of joy and rowdiness from the brothers, and everyone swarmed Jason for the news of who would be the first group. Jason waved them off, saying that due to his weariness, he would pick them out in the morning. He then told them to get their rest, as the group leaving would be getting an early start, and the group to stay would need to make sure the camp stayed orderly and to send hunting parties.

He left the throng and entered his tent. He walked over to his bed and sat upon it. His blood-stained armor was lying nearby, but he did not feel like messing with it as of now. He slowly removed most of his clothing, throwing it in a pile nearby. He then slipped into his bed and closed his eyes, finally getting some sleep for a change. Being a lieutenant was more physical than most would have thought...

_Jason screamed as they thrust the cigarette into his skin. He felt the sharp burn as it was put out within his flesh, and he heard them laugh at his torment. He was bound hand and foot, and dressed only in his boxers. He had spilled some kind od drink on his sister, and now is mother was making him pay for it dearly._

_ "Oh, don't be such a little crybaby, it doesn't hurt," his sister said. And then she put her own cigarette out in the flesh of his back, earning another scream from Jason._

_ Rain pelted down on his almost naked body, and the two women laughed at his misery. He had already acquired several burn marks upon him from previous sessions, but this time, they seemed determined to outright kill him._

_ "You know you are just an accident right? Your father is dead, and no one is coming for you. So just suck it up and take it," his mother jeered. Then she lit another cigarette. She smoked it a few times before she began to lower ti to his burned body._

_ As she lowered it, a huge fist came out of nowhere and pummeled her on the back of her head. Her eyes seemed to vibrate with the shock, and she fell face-forward onto the alley's stone cold floor. His sister opened her mouth to scream, but she was silenced by a vicious back-handed blow. She joined her mother on the ground._

_ Jason cowered in fear of the huge man that had suddenly appeared. He seemed to radiate power beyond anyone Jason had ever met, and he looked down at the boy with a strange look on his face. His eyes were full of wisdom, and Jason saw a pitying lok begin to cross his face._

_ "I see you have found out what women are truly made of..." he said, almost seemingly to himself._

_ Jason did not reply. He simply whimpered in the pain of his burns._

_ The man dropped down and gently picked him up with one powerful move. Jason yelped in fear, and the man rested his hand on his back, soothing the burns left by his family._

_ "You need not worry, young man. I will not harm you. My name is Orion."_

_ And then he began to carry the weak boy down the alley, talking to him of what he was, and what he was now doing. And despite the information that Jason was receiving from him, not one bit of fear ever touched his heart. He had never been afraid of anything since..._

In his sleep, despite the nightmarish first part of his dream...Jason smiled.

-morning-

Around the encampment, the song of the birds could be heard. Several of the boys were already up, mostly because they were on cooking duty. One of the responsibilities shared by all of them were the basic fundamentals of camp life. There were a few who were excepted from having them required to do them, like Jason and the two sub-lieutenants. But even they had to pitch in every so often.

Jason awoke with a yawn and stretched. He climbed out and fumbled through his bag of clothes for some relatively clean ones, knowing that later, several boys would be sent to do the laundry. Those who gave them their clothes to wash had better make sure they checked the pockets, as what was in them and discovered by the boys on duty was usually theirs to keep.

He opened the tent flab and breathed in the cool morning air. Around them, the camp was coming alive, with brothers emerging from their tents, albeit at a varying pace. The call for breakfast rang out, and those nearby hurried to be the first for some grub. It generally got worse the farther down the barrel the food was, so one in the right mind would make a point of being one of the first in line.

After breakfast, Jason began to pick out the ones who would accompany him to the nearby town to have what fun could be had. They all buzzed around him, and though Jason put on the show that he had already knew whom was coming, in reality, he really was just picking people at random. The only one he was sure of was Mikhail, whom he always loved to have his back. The rest were mostly boys he pointed at and said were coming.

As they began to leave Orion called out one last time to have fun and not to draw attention to themselves, something that a few of the brothers seemed to have trouble with. Jason led them on a road for a few miles, staying out of sight within the tree line. Many of the group hollered and made a little fun out of their hike, and Jason decided that since there were only a few people living outside of the town, they needn't be told to shush or anything.

They entered the outskirts of the town and Jason stopped them, needing to set some ground rules for their visit.

"Okay guys, here's the deal. We are gonna break off into groups of four. Thirteen boys traveling together might raise a few of the authorities eyebrows, so we need to be a little careful. We have about ten hours to kill here, so go ahead and do what wanna do. But do NOT get caught by any cops or other people, or there is gonna be hell to pay with me and Lord Orion. Are we clear?"

"Sure, sure, can we go ahead now?" Mikhail asked.

Jason chuckled and waved them on. Mikhail and three others remained, with the two other groups separating in two directions toward the town. It was a pretty big town, with many stores and houses. Jason would have guessed the population to be very much in the thousands, and so there would certainly be a lot of places where adolescent boys could kill some time.

First stop was the local mall, where the boys were quick to find the arcade. They had brought quite a bit of money from the camp, mostly stolen by Hermes kids or simply found on the ground. Orion usually made one of the sub-lieutenants the brotherhood's treasurer, and it was his job to keep any mortal or immortal money they found secure.

They had the time of their lives in there, beating the games they played. The powers gained from becoming part of the brotherhood gave them much better coordination than the standard teen, and some marveled at how these boys were beating most games on the hardest difficulty level. Jason got no end of amusement hearing the comments of cheating or luck that the average arcade goer whispered about them.

Afterward, they decided to raid one of the game stores for games that would be compatible with the electronics that Orion had allowed them to start gathering. Orion had no use for such devices, his mind still not wrapped around such things as electronic entertainment. But Jason and the rest were from a whole different era when it came to such things, and Jason allowed himself to feel like a kid in a candy store as he browsed the games. After checking that there were no cameras in the store, he was quick to snare a few. Hermes kids had taught most of them the finer points of shoplifting.

Jason felt more relaxed and more like the kid he once was. This was shaping out to be a very good day...if only they knew just how brutally short the good times would be.

**Well, I said I might...and I guess I did. The first chapter in this new tale is done. In this story, I am actually going to try to aim for the type of villain that I have seen nothing of on this site, in order to keep the originality of the first story. And I promise that the characters of the brotherhood will be developed much better than they were in the last, as now the story is about them.**

**If anyone is interested in voting for "The War Of The Hunters", I have the link to the website posted on my profile. Just go there and get to the voting section and then the "Angst" section. Then if you want to cast your lot with me, feel free to vote for it.**

**A word of warning, I might possibly have to change this to an M rating. This story is going to be much darker and have a much more brutal feel, due to the content of what will happen in the future. I don't know exactly what will come, but be ready in case of rating change.**


	2. Brutality Discovered

Chapter 2: Brutality Discovered

"Damn man!"

Mikhail looked up to see Owen staring in shock as Mikhail obliterated his last evil shooter in the arcade shooting game he had been playing. When the score came up, Mikhail smiled to see that he had outright dominated the last player. His brotherhood abilities paid off in so many ways.

"I couldn't even get that high? Just how are you doin' that man?"

"I've played these kinds of games for years bud, it no problem to someone of my talents," he said, holstering the plastic gun.

"Sure, sure..."

"You doubtin' my mad skills?" Mikhail said, a grin appearing on his face. "You wanna have a head-to-head go around?"

"Me? Oh no, Mikhail. I wouldn't dare go against the greatest game player in all of the brotherhood."

"Wise choice."

The boys looked around to see if any of their companions were nearby as well. They saw the other three around a dancing game, and Jason was going at it head and toe, leg and foot with his opponent. His opponent, a slim boy who went by Lance, was sweating with his effort to outdo his lieutenant. But Jason seemed to have gained the upper hand. He was almost a blur along with his opponent, and the two were moving faster than some brotherhood members would have moved in combat. They had been going at it ever since they returned to the arcade. Another boy, the third member ot the group, stood behind the dueling duo. Dean, a son of Hermes, had their games hidden beneath his jacket, in various places that the rest did not know, nor did the probably want to know.

Mikhail and Owen walked over to the game, and beat their heads in tune with the disco blaring out of the machine. It was on the hardest mode possible, and yet the two were keeping up perfectly. But it was not long before Owen decided to have some fun.

"Hey Jason, your underwear is showing!" he shouted.

"WHAT!"

It was only a second delay, but that was enough. Lance danced the next few tunes completely unopposed by Jason. And when Jason finally realized that it was a trick, the game ended, declaring Lance the winner. Jason stared at the score board in a stunned silence for a moment. And then he swerved around to glare at Owen.

"You little asshole!" he swiped at Owen. But Owen, despite laughing very hard along with the others, simply leaned his head back and narrowly dodged the blow.

"Just what is with you people and my ass!" Jason yelled. He had had enough of the boys always pulling butt jokes on him.

"Oh, but you have such a nice one," Lance said in a girlish voice.

"I ain't seen boy ass that pretty since...well, no boy ass prettier than that!" Mikhail shouted, drawing stares from the people around them.

Jason simply stood ramrod straight and closed his eyes, his skin as red as a tomato as the comments washed over him. he took several deep breathes before he opened his eyes again, and finally was able to talk in a calm voice.

"Okay guys, let's go get something to eat. I for one am starved out of my mind."

"So that's the reason your always so-" Dean began, but he was quickly cut off.

"Just get going people..." Jason grumbled.

The restaurant, a Wendy's, was not crowded much, which perfectly suited the group. They ordered their food, which was obviously a substantial amount, considering the looks on the faces of the staff. Had they never tried to provide for a group of forever adolescents? And the food was very good, at least to them. It was probably even better than the camp fare, though they would never tell anyone that.

As they were leaving, they ran into the other group. Micheal, one of the sub-lieutenants, was in charge of it. He was a muscled young boy the same physical age as Jason. He had joined the brotherhood with his brother directly after Jason, and he was one of the more skilled of them. His brother was no longer among them, having been sent to the afterlife by a huntress blade several months ago.

They met just outside the store and began to talk with each other, which probably scared the people working inside the Wendy's, as two different groups of boys suddenly talking and discussing thing would probably raise everyone's suspicion level.

"Are you guys stopping here to eat?" Jason asked.

"Yep LT, we're just gonna hop in here and grab some grub, and then spend the rest of the time out in the woods. We decided we have had enough of this town for now."

"Alright then, go ahead. And if you could be so kind, if you guys are going to camp, think you could take the things we bilked from the mall back?"

"Sure man."

They gave their stolen goods over to the other group, and then said their farewells. The five began to walk down a street, loudly hooting and hollering. They really had not had this much fun in several weeks, and so they were determined to make every second last to the fullest. And that is when they heard it.

They had been taking a shortcut down a deserted alley when a child's distinct crying began to be heard. Jason stopped and signaled for them to halt, which they did. They looked confused for a moment, and then they too began to hear the distressed cries of the child. They looked around for a sign, but they did not see anything at the moment.

"Where is that coming from?" Owen asked.

Jason trained his sense of hearing as hard as he could. He heard the cries of the child, and he also began to hear a man...no, two men...and they were talking in childish, almost teasing tones. He heard one of them suddenly make a threatening sound, and the child cried even harder.

"There," Jason said, pointing toward the left. A darker alley branched off the one they were traveling, and they now were able to make the child's frightened crying as coming from that direction. Jason seemed to act on instinct as he immediately began to hastily walk down that way.

The group traveled a way's down, keeping the child's cries in their ears, as to not lose track of it. They heard a sickening, blunt-like sound, and the child let out a cry of pain. Jason moved at a re-doubled pace, the others almost having to jog to keep up with him. The sight they came upon caused them to halt in their tracks.

A boy was lying on the ground, covered in filth. His clothes were in rage, and his face was black with bruises and and scratches. Two men stood over him, one with a knife. The other had a small whip, and he toyed with it as he grinned down at the boy.

"So you actually thought that you could get away?" the man asked. The boy gave a weak, pleading shake of his head.

"You knew that you would not get far. There is no one near who gives a shit about people like you. And yet you were still stupid enough to run away..." the other said.

"Please..." the boy said, his voice was streaked with pain.

"Well, we are just going to have to teach you a lesson. Then we can bring you back to our employer so he can make an example of you."

"_No, please don't_!"

The man lashed out with his whip. The leather strand struck the boy in the face, leaving a deep gash across his brow. The boy howled with pain and then was forced to double over as the other man gave him a viscous kick to the gut. The boy gave a garbled cry of pain, and the man with the knife leaned over.

"Maybe I should carve "Runner" into your little chest, wouldn't that help?"

The boy could only whimper. The man smiled.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said, and then reached down to undo the boy's filthy shirt.

Jason and the group had taken all this in in mere seconds. The others were shocked beyond belief that someone would do what they just witnessed, but Jason's mind was somewhere else. Somewhere about six years ago. He was almost in the exact same position as this boy, with his own family tormenting him. And the boy's cries of pain and fear had sparked something in him. And when the man leaned over to inflict even more brutality on the weak and helpless boy, Jason reacted almost like an angry animal. He immediately began to march briskly toward them. The others behind him did not hesitate, but followed him immediately, their outrage apparent as well.

As the man with the knife leaned over the boy, Jason marched right over and viciously kicked him in the back of his leg, opposite his knee-cap. The man fell to his knees and the second he did so, Jason gave him a chop with his fist to the pressure point in his back. The man arched his back in pain, and Jason grasped his head. With a surge of strength, he slammed the man's head viciously into the alley wall, and then savored the look of him slumping to the side, knocked out cold.

The other was dealt with as quickly as the first. Lance reached him first and the man turned to see his partner go down. He raised his whip to swipe at them, and Lance gave him a swift sidekick to his gut. The man dropped his whip and grasped his stomach, and when he bent over enough, Lance then gave his jaw a powerful uppercut. The man was flipped backward, and ended up with his face to the sky, his eyes closed as his lights went out.

The whole fight lasted all of five seconds. Several thugs couldn't have stood a chance against one member of the brotherhood, let alone five.

Jason then turned his attention to the little boy. He looked no more than ten, maybe even just nine. His face was streaked with grime and his hair was filthy. He had the signs of previous wounds, many of them looking pretty serious. And the gash across his face was still bleeding pretty badly. Jason bent down to see if he could coax the boy up, and the boy only moved away from him.

"Easy kiddo, we will not hurt you. What was going on here? Why were those men trying to hurt you?"

The boy opened his mouth to say something, but his eyes lost their brightness and he collapsed. Jason quickly caught him before his head could hit the ground, and with one powerful push of his legs, he hoisted the boy up, cradling his head to his chest.

"We need to get back to camp. This boy is in need of some serious attention, and I don't think the hospital is somewhere safe for him right now."

"Why do you say so?" Owen asked. Jason shook his head.

"I don't know, but every instinct in me is saying that this boy shouldn't not be in the hospital, at least not yet. We can get one of our healers to help him at camp, probably more efficient than anything here."

Owen nodded. Mikhail looked down distastefully at the fallen men. They were still breathing, which was more than they deserved.

"And what of them?" he asked, kicking one of their bodies.

"Drag them somewhere the cops can find them. Let the town handle these. They would be a lot more merciful than Lord Orion."

And with that, they dragged the bodies out to a more open area, and the hightailed it back toward the camp, Jason already going over his mind what to say to Orion...

-**Approximately thirty minutes later**-

Orion sat in his tent and cleaned his sword. It always pleased him to do this, even if no one seemed to see the pleasure in it. But the sword was one of the tools of a warrior. And as such, he needed to treat it just as well as he would treat his own body. So the sword was cleaned as thoroughly as he could afford to make it.

He was checking his bow's pull when the flap was thrown open. Darren, the newer sub-lieutenant who had been appointed upon the death of Gabriel, rushed in. Orion found it extremely rude to simply barge into someone's tent without first announcing their entry or even asking permission to do so. But the look on Darren's face was one of worry and anxiety, and Orion did not scold him at all, not when he such a look about him.

"Lord Orion, pardon the outburst, but there is something in the medical tent you need to see."

"What is so troubling Darren?" Orion asked.

"Jason brought in someone from the town. A young boy...he is pretty badly hurt."

Orion immediately put down his bow and exited the tent. He swiftly followed Darren to the medical tent, the crowd in front of him parting before him. He saw many a concerned face as he gently pushed his way through the crowd, and entered the tent just to be greeted with a blast of sound ripped from the boy's lungs.

On the ground, laying upon an inflatable mattress, a boy no more than nine or ten lay gently struggling in pain with several healers. One of them was poking and prodding the boy's wounds, trying to decide best what to do for him. They did not risk giving him ambrosia, for they knew not if he was a demi-god or just a mortal, as quite a few in the brotherhood were. The other healer held the boy's hands and said soothing words to him, attempting to calm him.

Orion approached and knelt next to the screaming boy, and his face was a mask of undisguised sympathy. The two healers, Abraham and William, both sons of Apollo, nodded at him in acknowledgment.

"What is his condition?" Orion asked.

"He's pretty beaten up my lord. A lot of his wounds are old ones, but there are some serious ones still here. He doesn't have anything broken, but his ribs have taken a pretty good beating. And his back is literately a crossword puzzle of whip marks. I'm guessing the kid has gotten very little medical attention, if at any."

Orion nodded and then laid his hand upon the boy's chest. The boy cried out at the touch, as if Orion's very hand was causing pain to him. His pain filled eyes opened to see Orion, but the tears clogging his vision lessened his view considerably. Orion closed his eyes and focused. This boy was in too much pain for Orion not to do something himself.

Soon, the powers that he had received from Kronos and Nemesis began to stir. His powers as of a kind of "mini-god" glowed golden, and then slowly descended into the boy's chest. The boy's cries lessened and then disappeared altogether, and the boy slumped down, fast asleep. It was probably the first time in a long time that he was completely at peace.

Orion stood up and smiled at his handiwork. Abraham and William stood up and thanked him. He nodded his consent and pointed at the sleeping boy.

"Do what you can for him. I have granted him relief of pain, but even that will run out. See what you can do to lessen this poor boy's wounds."

"We will do our best, Lord Orion."

Orion nodded, positive that they would keep their word.

-**That night**-

A man in a business suit sat at his desk and typed at his computer. He wore an very annoyed expression, which went perfectly with his brown skin and rugged features. His cold, dark eyes seemed to radiate a sense of dread that few people could show, and he growled as he typed up whatever he was typing.

The reason for his new anger was the fact that two of his employees could not track down a simple case such as a little kid. Hundreds of people came through his system, and he though that he had chosen his employees well. But apparently, he had made a mistake with these two, as they had allowed a little boy to slip through their fingers and now had been caught by police.

He had posted their bail and sent several of his bodyguard to pick them up. They would know better than to resist. And he gave them strict instructions that they were to be brought before him so he could hear just why the hell they had allowed this. If they said anything to the police, the he swore to God he would put him in the basement and let his "expert" try out new techniques on them.

He finished his work and then sent the mail through. Then he leaned back and took several deep breaths to calm his anger. This was a sticky business, and he could not afford slip-ups. He would have to be more strict in his recruitment of employees.

There was a knock on the door. A sharp, authoritarian voice called from outside.

"Sir, we have them. Would you like us to bring them in now?"

"Yes, yes."

The door was opened and several men carrying sub-machine guns entered the room. They stood at attention on either side of the door, and then two other guards dragged two filthy men inside. They were hand-cuffed and were thrown to their knees before their boss. They looked up and looked into his eyes with extreme fear, knowing some of the stories they had heard about him.

The man stood up and strolled calmly toward them. He stood before them with his hand behind his back, giving them a good go over. Then he sighed.

"I just do not understand this. How can two strong men allow a young runaway to cause them trouble? It seems like so small a case."

"Sir it was-"

"_Shut your damn mouth! Did I give you permission to speak_!" the man roared. The men immediately stopped their blubbering.

"As I was saying, a small case such as a runaway boy seems like a very small problem. It sould have taken you all no time at all to have apprehended him and bring him back to the hold. So why did you have such trouble with him, and just why did I have to bail you out of the police department?"

They did not speak.

"_I was talking to you! That was a fucking question dammit_!"

"It...it...it was not our fault boss!" one of the men pleaded.

"Really? Then whose fault was it? Batman?"

"No boss! We got the kid and we were about to bring him in, but these boys..."

"Boys?" the man asked, his attention caught.

"Yeah boss, boys. They just came right up to us and pummeled us! We didn't stand a chance! They were like some ninja type kids! We didn't even hear them coming!"

The man smiled at their pathetic excuses.

"So a bunch of adolescent boys just happened by and just kicked your asses so badly?"

"Yeah man, that be what happened!"

The man nodded.

"I guess that settles things. I suppose it was not completely your fault. And so I am going to give you a reprieve."

"Really? That is great! Your the-" the pathetic excuse for a man was cut short by his own death.

Just as the "employee" was speaking, the "boss" whipped out a small pistol from his pocket. The man did not even have a chance to register what his boss was doing before the boss put a bullet directly between his eyes. Blood sprayed out from the back of the man's head as he fell to the ground. The other saw what happened and immediately began to scream for his life.

"_Oh god, please boss! Don't kill me, I beg you_!"

"This is my mercy...a quick death."

And then he shot the other in the exact same place. The two men lay side by side, their blood flowing from around their heads.

The boss smiled in examination of his great placement, and then snarled a curse.

"Guard!"

"Yes sir!"

"Get these pieces of shit out of my office. They're staining my carpet!"

-**Brotherhood camp**-

The boy's eyes hurt as he opened them. He had not slept this peacefully in a long time, for there was always a chance that the guards would have some task for him in the middle of the night, him and maybe some other people. They always would come in and scream at them, and if they did not immediately get up, they did not hesitate to flip the cot. But he felt so much more comforted where he was, wherever that may be.

He felt no real pain, only dull throbs in his mid-section. He slowly raised his head to find that he was in a tent of some kind, a medium sized one He lay on an air mattress, one of several strewn about the tent. He saw a boy dressed all in black, leaning over a kit of some sort. His jeans and shirt were black, and he wore black, shiny combat boots. He seemed rather muscular, though he could not see much of him with his back to him. The boy tried to sit up, and his movements seemed to have made the strange boy aware of him.

He turned around to see, and the little boy ducked back to the mattress, desperately hoping that the strange boy would have though he was still asleep. But the boy only gave an understanding smile and got up to walk over to him, kneeling down to examine him. Now the little boy could see that he was quite handsome, with his teeth almost sparkling. His muscles were firm and he was very toned, like a woodsman. He leaned over him as the boy's heart beat more rapidly.

"You don't need to cover up the fact that your awake. No one here is going to do you any harm."

The little boy opened his eyes a little wider, and he looked up with fear at the strange boy. But the strange boy revealed that he had some kind of liquid bottle in his hand...water. The little boy's throat suddenly felt dry. The handsome stranger seemed to realize what was needed and raised the bottle to the boy's lips.

The boy felt the cool water enter his sore throat and felt the cooling sensation flow through him. He reached out and grasped the bottle with his hands, and the handsome strange allowed him to take it. The boy drained the bottle within a minute, and lay gasping for air.

"My name is William. What is yours?"

The boy looked at him through tortured blue eyes.

"Garret..."

"Well, Garret, as I said. No one here is going to harm you, nor allow you to come to harm, so far as you stay with us."

"But...why?"

William chuckled at the boy's innocence.

"Because when we took you in and gave you our care, you became officially under our protection. As long as Orion allows you to remain with us, then you are free from any danger."

"Who...who is Orion?"

"He is our leader...and speaking of which, he will be wanting to talk with you. We want to know just why those men were so brutally attacking you."

"I...I..." the boy began to say something but it was lost in his inner emotion. William chuckled again, and stood up to walk to the tent entrance.

"Just remain calm. Lord Orion will want to talk with you. As I said, you will not be harmed by him or anyone here. I will be just a moment."

-**Orion's tent**-

"So exactly what happened that you would bring that injured, brutalized boy to our camp? I do not doubt your motives Jason, but really, what made invoked you to bring him here?"

Jason looked to the ground for a moment, and then faced Orion squarely.

"The boy needed medical attention badly, something we could not provide for him in that alleyway. I could see that if we did not get him to help soon, then he very well could possibly die. So I did the only thing I could think of. I brought him here."

"That is very noble of you Jason. But if I may inquire, why did you not bring him to the mortal hospital? Surely they could have provided sufficient care for him there?"

Jason nodded and then looked away fro a moment, lost in thought. Then he continued his explanation.

"I know my lord. But something just did not seem right. My gut was telling me that taking him to the hospital would have been a bad idea, at least for him. Something was simply telling me that it was a bad place to be for him. And besides, William and Abraham could provide much better care for him here, despite the technology of the mortal hospital. We have things that could patch him up much faster."

"True..."

"And lord, you said to always trust your instincts. If your gut was saying something to you, then you always said to listen closely. And my gut was saying that it would not be good to take him to the hospital."

Orion nodded as he listened to Jason's explanation. He had indeed preached the lesson of listening to instinct. A person's animal senses were sometimes far more accurate then anything in the world, and Orion had drilled this into his lieutenant from the very first lessons he taught him. He smiled in approval at Jason.

"Yes Jason, I know what I taught you...you were right to bring him here. If you felt that was what was right, then I trust your judgment."

Jason brightened a bit at the approval.

"Do you have any idea what those men were trying to do with him?"

"No lord. They implied that he was a runaway of some sort. What that means I do not know, but I don't think that, wherever he ran from, it could not be good. Those men were more cruel than even my parents were..." he trailed off. Obviously, the sight of the boy being beaten in that alley sparked some very unwelcome memories for Jason. Orion walked over and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"I am proud of you Jason. What you did for that boy showed some extreme moral character. There are some who would have run off, but the fact that you and the others immediately jumped to save him when it became apparent of what would happen should you have done otherwise, shows just how much I can trust you all."

Jason gave a small smile and nodded his head. Before anything else could be said, William entered the tent, bowing his head slightly in reverence to Orion. He held a glint of a smile on his face, and his mood seemed to have improved greatly at some recent event.

"Lord Orion, Jason, the boy awoke several minutes ago. He is in the medical tent, and he should be fine enough to answer some questions."

Orion nodded, a sigh of relief escaping his throat.

"At last. He might have the answers to the questions that are perplexing us."

Orion left the tent, Jason and William in his wake. He entered the medical tent to find the boy propped up on his elbows, his eyes still roving the tent. He gasped when he saw Lord Orion enter, but Orion gave him a warm smile and raised his arms to show he did not have anything hidden that could harm him. He approached the boy and knelt down, Jason and William standing behind him.

"What is your name, young one?"

"Garret"

"Well Garret, I am going to ask some very simple questions. You need not be afraid of answering..."

**Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Remember to review, and I will get the next chapter up as soon as I can. Until then, Happy hunting!**


	3. The Limits Of Humanity

Chapter 3: The Limits Of Humanity

Garret nervously bit his lip as he looked into the eyes of the man and the boys in the tent with him. Orion had a kind look upon his face, though Jason and the other, William, had slightly more serious expressions. He felt a sense of peace from all of them, a kind of feeling that he was under protection within their presence. And so he began to recant his tale.

"My mom and my sister used to live in this rich man's house. Mom said we couldn't afford anything else, and he let us live there as long as we worked for him."

Orion nodded. Jason's gut tightened. It sounded like a kind of indentured servitude to him.

"We had it pretty rough. Me and my sister would have to sometimes work really hard, and there were sometimes guys with guns around that would shout at us to work harder..."

"Did they ever touch you?" Orion asked.

"No...not at first."

Orion nodded, and beckoned him to continue. Jason narrowed his eyes slightly and leaned forward. William tilted his head.

"Momma would sometimes come home with bruises on her back and arms. And she would go to the bathroom a lot. And then she would cry. But she never told us what happened to her."

Orion made a face. Jason hissed in disgust. William only shook his head slowly, his sympathy for the abused boy apparent.

"One day, momma was really sick. The man came in and asked her why she was not working. She couldn't answer. We tried to tell her she was sick, but he told us to not say another word, or we would join her. Then he made his guys with guns take her away somewhere..."

"Do you know where they took her?"

"No, they dragged her away somewhere. Me and sis tried to stop them, but they hit us with their guns and threw us in a cell. We had a window and..."

"Yes?"

"We heard some gunshots..."

Orion's mouth dropped slightly in surprise. Jason growled in rage. William only sighed in sympathy. This poor boy...

"After that...they made us work with the others. It was in some kind of shop, and we were put with a bunch of other people. It was hard, and the guards beat us a lot with whips and stuff."

"Oh you poor boy..." Orion trailed off.

"By the gods...what kind of monster does such a thing to their fellow human beings?" William whispered to Jason.

"Exactly that, Will...a monster."

"When some guards let me out one day, they decided to leave me alone for a few minutes. I managed to find an opening in the fence, and crawled through it. I don't think any of them knew about. I ran and ran until some of their guards caught me...and then you guys showed up."

Orion glanced at Jason who's expression did not change. He simply raised his head a little taller, but inside, he felt a surge of pride that they had managed to save the poor child from further torment. William only gritted his teeth and continued to shake his head slowly, his mind still trying to wrap around what horrors had been done to this boy.

"I wanted to go back for my sister...but the guards caught me too fast. She is still in there...she...she..." the boy suddenly broke into a sob and clutched at Orion's chest, Orion not making a move to stop him, and allowed the boy to vent his sorrow. He allowed him to cry for a minute, and then slowly put his arms around the poor boy, letting him at least feel safe. The boy sobbed harder and harder until he seemed to almost rock the tent and Orion's chest was soaked. But he allowed the boy to gradually calm himself.

He laid the boy's head down and though he did not smile, Garret felt a strange power in his gaze, almost as if Orion was projecting something into him that gave him a sense of peace, despite the recent events.

"You may sleep now Garret. As long as you are with us, those men will not come within even a mile of you. That is a promise."

"A promise..." the boy gently murmured, and his tear filled eyes closed, sleep finally coming upon him once again.

Orion quietly stood up and signaled the other two to come with him. They exited the tent and saw that many of the brotherhood had gathered nearby, hearing the boy's cries. Many of them also had a look of concern upon their sweating faces. Orion addressed them in a quieter tone than his usual command voice, not wanting to awaken the boy sleeping the sleep of the dead behind him.

"We will go about tomorrow as planned. The only difference is that Jason will take the boy tomorrow to a place of mortal authority and allow him to plea his case. For those going into town tomorrow, have fun, but stay on alert. The fact that these events are happening around us is something to be wary of."

There were some nods and glances back at the tent, but the training had died down for now. The whole camp had seemed to have sensed the distress of the poor boy, and had quit training in order to not awaken him.

"Jason, you may sleep in my tent tonight. I think the boy should be able to get as much sleep as he can."

"Yes sir."

"Tomorrow, you will take him to the...oh what are they called...the 'police station' and see if you can get him any aid there. Then you are to return here immediately, after reporting to Darren that all had gone well. But if any trouble occurs, and you cannot get him to a safe haven in the town, then just get back here immediately."

"I'll take care of it my lord. I won't let anything happen to him."

Orion gave him a gentle squeeze of the shoulder before heading off, most likely to brief Darren of what was expected of him. He would be leading the second "vacation" group.

Jason entered Orion's tent and found a sleeping bag had been moved in for him. From the images put into his head by the story of Garret, he would need some sleep...

-**Morning**-

Jason had been up for an hour, taking exercise with his sword when Garret awoke. He opened the tent flap and was no doubt fascinated instantly by the sight of some boys training. He looked with wonder at the flash of metal, and the skill in maneuvering. He seemed mesmerized by the way it flowed, like the boy's fought and sparred, yet seemed to share the same mind, the same skills. Almost as if they were one fighter.

He felt a hand placed on his shoulder, and looked up to se Orion looking down on him. He had a small smile on his face, and he was dressed in a loose fitting shirt, with the same pants and combat boots as those around him.

"I see you are awake. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah...better than I have lately."

"Very good. Breakfast is being served. Go and get something to eat."

The boy utterly annihilated his food. He had been given extra servings, due to his condition, but anything they out before him was consumed in a minute at the most. Jason, standing a ways behind him, whistled in amusement.

"Don't choke there. I don't wanna do anything even related to the Heimlich Maneuver."

Orion, eating nearby, chuckled. After breakfast, Orion summoned Jason over, and quizzed him on any last minute questions or concerns.

"I am quite ready Lord. As I said last night, nothing will happen to him while I watch him."

"I know that Jason, but you must realize that should you come into trouble, there is no telling where the brothers in town will be. They could be miles away from you, and you could be in dire need of help."

"If I need help to protect myself from a couple of gangsters, then I deserve to be strung up." Jason said, a grin spreading on his face.

"Careful Jason. A true hunter and warrior never underestimates his opponents, no matter how wild and uncoordinated they may seem. Recklessness will kill a warrior even more surely than an enemy sword."

Jason's grin shrunk and he slowly nodded, realizing that he had fallen into overconfidence. Orion had taught him many things over the years, but he was still young and prone to hubris. He would need to get over that...

Orion then smiled and waved them off.

"You know what to do Jason. Garret could not be in better hands than yours."

"Yes, lord Orion."

And with that, Jason nudged Garret toward the town, and the duo departed.

-**Thirty minutes later**-

Jason led the way, Garret following behind him. He had occasionally glanced back to make sure that the little black-haired boy was following him directly, but so far, Garret was like a tick on a dog. He never strayed more than five feet from his back. He noticed the fear in Garret's eyes as they walked, almost as if the little boy was thinking that danger lurked behind every tree, rock, or stump.

He thought back to the horror story that Garret had told. He had always knew that there were some mortals that made monsters seem like Santa Claus. What frightened him was wondering just what horrors had this boy seen or experienced, and at so young an age. He seemed to act like an abused puppy, which was exactly what he was, beside the "puppy" part. What could drive the youth out of something so innocent, and then instill such fear and helplessness?

They reached the outskirts of town, and Garret actually walked up to him and took his hand. Jason was startled by the sudden move, but he did not tear his hand away. If that made the boy feel just a bit safer, than he was content.

"I am going to take you to the police station. There might be some cops there that will be able to do something for you," he said to Garret.

"Okay," Garret replied, his voice still full of unease.

They passed through several neighborhood areas, and then reached the downtown area, where there was significantly much more hustle and bustle than the neighborhood, yet nothing compared to the bigger cities. But the sight of so much public gave Jason a boost. Surely, nobody would try anything in front of all those people. Finally, they were approaching the station. Strangely, there was no one in the area, though Jason had caught wind of something.

Ever since they had entered the downtown area, three men, all wearing overcoats despite the nice weather, had been tailing them from a distance. Judging from the way they moved, they were attempting to appear nonchalant, but the hunter in Jason knew that they were waiting for the chance to strike. And now that they were in a deserted area, they might just get their chance.

But he did not do anything that would have scarred Garret. He would not make any sudden moves unless there was simply no other option. He noted several alley ways nearby, and was prepared to duck into them in case of pursuit, in order to narrow the playing field. And as he approached the station, the charade stopped. Garret had finally noticed the men, and he suddenly held Jason's hand in an almost death-grip.

"Jason...I know those men..._they work at that place_...!"

Garret pointed at them, and the three of them seemed to realize they had been caught. The police station was still about a hundred feet away, and if these men were armed, then they would never get far before they took several bullets each. There was only one option...the alleys. Jason leaned down and tried to seem like he was simply whispering nonsense into Garret's ear, but Garret heard differently.

"Garret...I know our scared...but when I scream the word, I want you to run as fast as you can, and follow me into those alleys, alright?" he asked. He could almost hear Garret's heart beating with fear, and he nodded, his little eyes wide with fright. Jason swallowed and counted the seconds.

One of the men drew a pistol...

"NOW!"

The two bolted to the side, just narrowly avoiding the bullet that one of the men fired. Jason thought he felt it whiz past him, but he could not take his mind off making Garret run faster. The poor boy's malnourished and abused body just was not capable of much speed. And even as Garret ran, his legs seemed on the verge of slipping out from under him. And unfortunately, that is exactly what happened.

Garret slipped and fell to the ground with an "oof" of pain, quickly followed by a cry of terror that tore at Jason's usually stoic heart. Jason immediately bent down, and that may very well have saved his life, for at that moment, a bullet passed over his back, directly through the space his upper body would have been if he had been upright. But he had not time to contemplate this, as he grabbed Garret and flung him over his shoulder. Then he continued running, the gunmen in hot pursuit

He crossed over into the maze of alleyways, and turned a corner, spotting some trash cans directly next to the opening. He dropped Garret, much harder than he would have preferred, and forced the young boy to look him in the eyes, Garret never showing as much fear as Jason saw in him now.

"Garret, stay here. Whatever you hear, do _not_ look, okay? Can you do that for me?"

Garret whimpered and nodded. Jason forced a reassuring smile and then stood by the entrance of the dark alley. He lifted his jacket and drew his sword, taking comfort in the metallic sound it made as it was swiftly drawn from it's hidden sheath. He held it almost like a baseball batter, and waited for the footsteps to come closer...and closer...

Finally, one of the gunmen ran around the entrance, and Jason struck. His blade swept downward, and almost completely severed the man's leg. The man, apparently of Hispanic background, fell to the ground, screaming as the almost complete stump that was once his leg splurged blood.

The second met a similar fate, if a little less dramatic. Jason's blade finished it's arc of travel, and then he immediately stabbed it forward from the position his previous strike ended in, catching the second gunmen as he rounded the corner as well. The blade found it's place in the base of his neck, and Jason was splashed with a little spray of blood. The man gurgled and fell, dead before he even hit the ground.

The final pursuer was not quite as stupid as his companions. He hugged the out wall of the alley that led by the one they had sought shelter in, and so there was some distance between them. He also had his handgun fully pointed out, but that turned out to be a mistake in such close quarters, and Jason took advantage of it. As he rounded the corner, he lashed out, knocking the gun to the side just as it fired. Jason felt a burning sensation in his abdominal area, and found that the bullet had skimmed his mid-section, about five inches below his armpit. But he did not let the pain distract him from deliver a powerful thrust into the man's gut. The man screamed as the sword tore into him, and he collapsed, the gun dropping.

Jason stood above this one, the only one with at least a chance of surviving. The man looked up at him with fear in his eyes and his lips quivering in pain. Jason reveled in the fact that this man was the one who was scared now, and not just the poor boy seeking shelter behind the trash cans. He stood over the man and held his sword just below the man's chin.

"Why are you chasing this boy?" he asked, indication Garret.

"He's a runaway..."

"Away from what? What did he do that you would chase him so viciously, and it seems, even to kill him?"

"He would tell everyone about us..."

"About what! _Tell me, damn you_!"

"The operation."

"_What_ _operation!__?_"

"I..I..can't tell you! He'll kill me if I do!"

Jason knelt down and grabbed the man's collar, lifting him up with a surge of his strength from being a brotherhood member. The man seemed surprised at this, and he gasped and shook his head in disbelief.

"_He'll_ kill you, you miserable little shit! _I'll_ kill you!"

"You might as well...I can't talk about it..."

Jason contemplated the words for a moment. And then he came up with a different approach.

"Let me say this, you little worm. If you do not tell me where this little operation is, then I am going to make a hundred cuts into your body. They will be done very slowly, as to allow you to feel the pain of every single one of them. And then I am going to hack off each one of your limbs and let you watch yourself bleed out, feeling every painful second. Unless, you tell me exactly where this little operation is, and what exactly it is in the first place!"

The man seemed to understand the honesty of this threat. His eyes bulged out, and his heart quickened, which was not good for someone with as bad a wound as he had.

"It's in the woods somewhere...on the edge of town...there is virtually no one in the area...so it goes undiscovered..." he began to fade out, almost as if the blood-loss was getting to him.

"What is it! What the hell goes on there, damn you!" Jason roared, but it was too late. The man had passed out from his injuries. Jason snarled a curse and dropped the man, not caring if he injured him further. He heard a rustling, and then, before he could stop him, Garret peeked out and saw the bodies.

The man with the nearly severed leg had also seemed to have died, and he lay there with his eyes closed, his mouth still open. Garret saw the wound and panic shot through his eyes. He saw the man with a fresh sword wound in his neck, his eyes staring ahead straight and dead. And the man passed out beneath Jason, Jason standing over him. his sword stained with their blood.

"Garret..." Jason began, but Garret had already turned to run down the alley, panic at what he saw and what Jason had done flooding into his heart and mind. Panic had taken hold, and he sought to run away from it all. Jason hurried after him, and managed to catch him.

Garret screamed in fear and beat against Jason's chest, but Jason held firm, holding Garret tight against him. Garret cried and cried in the fear of what he was now in, and Jason whispered soothing words to him, trying to calm the poor boy's mind.

"Garret, calm down. I had to. They would have killed me and taken you back to that place."

Garret continued to cry, and then he looked up at Jason, his eyes filled with tears of fear, and his little lips quivering.

"Who...who are you people?" he asked, as if the question had just now occurred to him.

"I...I will let Orion explain that to you. Come on, it's not safe here. Camp is the only safe haven for you right now."

With that, he led Garret away... away from the source of new nightmares to come...

-**A little later**-

Orion paced the tent as Jason divulged what happened. He was still covered in the man's blood, and his face was still bore some droplets that had sprayed from one of their throats. He thought that not bathing and immediately reporting to Orion would have helped prove his case, seeing the result of this latest incident. Jason only paused to take bites out of the ambrosia to help his wound.

Orion listened to the report of what may be taking place outside town, and he stopped pacing when Jason described how he got the information. He looked at Garret, who was clinging to Jason's side as he spoke, and gave the boy a reassuring smile, if only to calm his nerves.

"Jason, this report is quite disturbing. It would seem that whomever this boy was forced to work for, he desperately wants him back."

"If he is not recovered, he could get an account of what happened to the authorities. That alone is enough reason to pursue him from one corner of the world to another," Jason replied.

Orion nodded.

"You did well Jason. Even if you were trying to not attract attention, your actions may very well have saved Garret."

"Thank you lord...if I may make a request?"

"Certainly."

"Do you think you could spare some time to explain what exactly we are to Garret? And, well, explain just who you are?"

Orion looked at Garret, who seemed encouraged by the question. He looked at Orion now with childlike curiosity, and Orion could not help but chuckle at the smile spreading over Garret's face. The saying that there was nothing like the smile of a child to brighten a day was very well conceived.

"Of course Jason. Go get cleaned up, and leave Garret here. I will tell him everything."

Jason gave Garret a reassuring squeeze, and then left to attend to himself. Orion walked over to his bed and sat upon it. He indicated a stool nearby, and Garret picked it up to carry it over in front of Orion. He sat upon it and looked up at Orion's face, gazing into his powerful eyes.

"Garret, do you know the legend of Orion The Hunter?"

"Momma sometimes told us stories...and I think she told us that one..."

"Well, as you know, my name is Orion...and so there is something you should know about me before I say anything else..."

-**Hours later, that night**-

The boss was not having a good day...again.

First there were the two that got arrested. That was bad enough. But now, hearing the report from his top guard, as well as recent news reports, _three_ of his men now turned up dead in some alley. The first two were bad enough, but this?

He growled deep in his throat, and he crumbled the paper cup in his hand. He never before had been so embarrassed, so humiliated, than he felt right now. He had taken pains to choose his men from as top class and skilled as he could, and now this was happening. Just what had he done to deserve this!

"I swear to god that I am going to make you pay!" he shouted to no one in particular. He felt he was shouting to whomever had done his much damage to him so far. This was more press than he ever wanted. And if people kept looking into these kinds of things, then they might find something he rather have kept hidden.

Right now, he needed a release...and then fate seemed to smile on him. A knock at his door was heard.

"Come in."

One of his guards entered, a grin on his face.

"Sir, we have her ready. She is in your room, awaiting your pleasure."

"Is she as I requested?"

"To the letter, sir."

"Thank you. At least something has gone right today. My thanks."

"Pleasure to be of assistance, sir."

The boss left the room and walked down the hall of his luxurious house, old style classical music emanating from his room. He pushed the door open slowly, the tension in him almost too great to control. And when he saw his source of amusement for today, he felt that this moment had actually been the most perfect so far.

A young girl, about sixteen or seventeen, lay upon his bed. Her mouth was gagged, so he wouldn't need to hear her pleas or any such thing like that. It would not do to have his pleasure complaining. Her curvaceous body was dressed in only small, pink lingerie. She looked at him with such pleasurable terror, and she cried out against her gag. He walked over to her struggling form, and put a finger to his lips.

"Now, now, let's not have any of that shall we? Let us enjoy the night..."

The girl screamed against her gag and pulled against her restraints, but it was no good. His guards had seen to her being tightly bound, and able to put up no fights today.

"I always liked mine rather young," the boss said, beginning to unbutton his business suit.

-**Brotherhood camp-**

Garret had never before heard anything like what he was now hearing.

He never could believe that the stories that he had heard as a child, the stories of ancient Greece, the land of magic and myths, could have actually been true. He had always been told that these were mere stories, and when he brought it up, Orion had made the point that they had to have truth somewhere. And when he initially told him of the fact that he was Orion, as in _the_ Orion of legend, Garret almost exploded with glee. His young mind had very little trouble accepting what he heard, once he was past the initial stages.

"Weren't you in love with Artemis?" Garret asked.

The question was an innocent one, asked from the mind of a child. But Orion seemed visibly pained by the question, almost as if he remembered something very bad. But what is was, Garret couldn't think of. The stories of Orion told of him being virtually fearless, and so what could have hurt him so, if were indeed _the_ Orion?

"I still am, Garret."

"And so the gods really do exist?"

Orion chuckled. The enthusiasm of the boy was contagious.

"Yes Garret, they are. Did you not hear my first stories?"

"I heard...but this is so cool that they really are real!"

"Yes Garret...it is _cool_," he said. He was still getting used to some of the words this modern world often used.

"And so you really are the great Orion!"

"Dear me, have you not heard me? I have said several times that I am," Orion said. The boy may have been being slow to catch it, but the way he acted, so happy and cheerful, was something Orion could not allow annoyance to interfere with.

Garret had a smile spread from ear to ear. He listened to more of the stories and tales from Orion, now finally beginning to believe without a doubt as to their truthfulness. And as Orion went through each story, each one more heroic than the last, his face seemed brighter and brighter. Finally, he asked about Orion's own story, and if it really was truthful.

This time Orion showed reluctance to answer. The events of that day had overreaching consequences that had spilled into the modern world with violent and brutal results. And he may have redeemed himself to Artemis by saving them all from Nemesis...but he could not see himself as redeemed in his own. At least not yet. And so he was slow to answer Garret's questions about himself.

But answer them he did, even if he was slow to do so. Garret seemed to sense his discomfort, and he stopped questioning him, instead asking about some of the other, less popular things in the "mythology" of Ancient Greece. Orion cheered up and answered all he could, before realizing just how late it was.

"Dear me, it is now a late hour Garret. It is best that you return to you sleeping bag in Jason's tent. He is probably asleep right now, so try to be quiet."

"Awwww...can't I hear one more story?" Garret asked, his young smile beaming. Orion chuckled at the attempt to "cute" another story, but he had learned to get over this a while ago.

"I am afraid that it truly is late Garret. Please, return to your sleeping mat, and get some rest. Try to dream of pleasant dreams."

Garret nodded and left, a smiling Orion looking after him as he left. His mind wondered to Artemis and he wondered just what she was doing right now. Was she hunting beneath the moon, the graceful and beautiful creature that she was? Or was she sitting by the fire, tending to her instruments and gazing in all her wisdom at the world around them, a world familiar to her, but still relatively new to Orion.

He leaned down on his bed and focused on her image, determined to see her hunt through his dreams tonight...

**Now you see why I am worried that I may have to change this to an M rating. Though this was pretty much the extent that you'll be reading anything violent or sexual, I want to be sure that I am still within a "hard T" rating. If not, then warn me, and I'll upgrade the rating as soon as I can. If it does change, I still won't be too graphic about anything, but I wont get any trouble then.**

**You all have been very faithful and I thank you all. Do not forget to leave a few words in a review, and I will begin the next chapter as soon as I can. Until then, Happy Hunting!**


	4. Learning To Overcome

Chapter 4: Learning To Overcome

Morning brought the freshness of a new day...

There was always something about the dawn of a new day. It chased away the nightmares of the night. It cleanses the soul of the troubles of the day before. It brought along a fresh set of events that could very well help, or undo the accomplishments of the previous one. And it also marked the possibility of a new beginning. One more powerful and greater than the last.

And it brought along a new time to ready oneself. To prepare their mind and their body. To condition their heart and soul for future trials and harshness. To make sure that the next dawn will come, and if it becomes one of trial and hardship, then one will be ready to overcome it with all the courage and honor that they have thus mustered. And that was exactly why the brotherhood trained almost every day, rain or shine.

Jason awoke earlier than the rest, as usual. He was never a heavy sleeper, and he rarely needed an alarm clock. He simply told himself what times to awaken, and his body almost always obeyed. His eyes adjusted to the morning glow, and the dew in the air felt good upon his body as he stretched and got his blood moving.

Breakfast was served. The young boy, Garret, was put in front of them all, and his bowl filled to the brim. Not one brother argued with that extra provision, not after seeing the condition he was in. and he was given a generous helping of bread and cheese afterward, which the famished boy devoured almost as if he were merely inhaling air.

Then training began. Orion had called for them to stay together for now, seeing as they may have caused some disturbance in the town with their chance encounters lately. And they did the one thing they did every day, without fail. They trained for the rigors of the next day, for who knew just what lay ahead of them beyond the next sunrise? Fate had a strange way of "throwing a curve ball", as the expression went.

Jason patrolled the training grounds, occasionally shouting at brothers to pick up the pace while exercising, or occasionally correcting them during sparring sessions with others. His three trainers, Micheal, Darren, and Mikhail were going through advanced sword techniques for those who wished to brush up a bit more. Jason was usually a bit harsher than them, but he only stepped in when a particular brother needed a more direct approach. Jason could be fun at other times, but for now, the hard ass was in town.

At the moment, everything seemed in order, and he stopped to sit upon a stool that had been set up. He was cleaning his sword when he sensed that he was being watched. He looked up to see the little boy Garret, his eyes wide and gnawing on his lip, as if nervous about something he were about to reveal. Jason watched him for a moment, unsure what he wanted. Garret stepped closer, but still seemed reluctant to speak.

"Well?" Jason asked, wondering what was keeping the boy.

Garret swallowed and looked nervously into Jason's eyes, his green eyes shaking in the power of Jason's look. He opened his mouth to speak, but it seemed that his vocal cords had betrayed him. Jason waited and waited for what it was Garret had to say, and was starting to get a little impatient. Patience was never a virtue bestowed on him.

"Well, what do you need?" he asked again.

"Do you...do you think you could..." Garret trailed off.

"Do I think I could what?"

"Do you think you could teach me to fight like that? With a sword and all?"

Jason's eyebrow raised. It was actually unusual for a new brother to be trained by him personally. He only intervened when it was necessary. Mikhail, Micheal, and Darren were the ones who trained the newer ones, when they first joined. Despite this, Jason had to laugh at Garret's nervousness.

"Garret, you do know that you won't be with us very long. You are too young to join us, and when we find a nice place for you, we will have to leave you there."

"But can you show me a few moves? Like you used when..." he stopped, obviously the horror of what he had just seen crept up to him. Garret had not been conditioned to bloodshed, no matter how brutal the place he had originally come from had been.

Jason did have to give him credit though, even after he saw what Jason had done to those men, seen the horrors of bloodshed first-hand, he still walked up and requested to be trained in it. After it's brutality was exposed, he wished to learn a little of it's art. Jason could not help but give that credit. He stood up to his full height, and his voice changed to a command tone.

"Get to the armory and tell them I want you outfitted. We might have armor that at least half-way fits you. Then get a training sword, and meet me out here in ten minutes. Go now."

Garret nodded profusely, and then ran off to the tent that Jason pointed out. Jason sheathed his sword and went to get one of the wooden training ones. It would be practically asking for disaster to allow a complete newbie to train with a real sword. He got one of the training swords and gave it a few practice swings, getting used to the new weight. He waited for the allotted time and soon enough, little Garret came running out, covered in armor maybe a size too big for him, and carrying one of the wooden swords used for new brothers.

"The first thing you want to do is assume your fighting stance. This is the position you naturally take when fighting, allowing you maximum balance and maneuverability."

Garret looked uncertain, and then assumed a position that was rather more of a parody of the positions that the others were using. Jason growled and walked over to him, correcting his position.

"I thought you said it's a natural position?"

"I said natural, not parody."

He finally got the boy fixed in a much more confident pose. He then stepped forward of him about ten feet, and held his sword to the side. He glared at Garret with his usual battle gaze.

"Now attack me."

Garret looked confused.

"Are you not gonna raise your sword or anything?"

"Garret, you have about the same chance of hitting me as winning a Verita award."

"What's that?" he asked.

"_Attack!"_

Garret charged forward and let out a shrill, high pitched child's battle cry. He ran at Jason, who calmly watched, not even bothering to raise his weapon. From the way the boy was attacking, and the look about him, he knew exactly where this was going. He waited until the last second and then stepped slightly to the left. The boy completely overran his previous position, and Jason held a leg out, tripping him over the shins. Garret fell, but the armor protected him from serious injury, if not serious embarrassment.

"That was pathetic..." Jason said.

"It's my first time," Garret groaned, slowly getting up.

"And as I said, utterly pathetic. You though you were just going to overrun me without a second thought. You were so determined in your charge, that you didn't consider that i would just step out of the way."

Garret stood up in front of him, and seemed to gather his confidence.

"I want another try."

"Are you sure?"

Garret nodded.

"Alright then. Try to actually make an attempt this time..."

Garret swallowed tears of shame and walked away from Jason a bit. Then he turned and assumed somewhat the same pose and took several deep breaths. Then he charged again, and this time with a little more coordination. He came rushing onward at Jason, and this time, Jason raised his blade to his waist level, expecting a fight.

Garret stopped and began to slash at Jason. Jason almost laughed at the easily blocked and clumsy strikes, and he didn't even need to breathe hard as he fought. He allowed Garret to have his moment before viciously slamming his blade down and shoving him with his shoulder, this time forcing Garret onto his back. Garret tried to get up, but the armor forced him to the ground again. He strained and then finally managed to get up.

"Why is this wooden sword so heavy?" he asked.

"It's made to be double the weight of an actual blade." Jason answered.

"Why's that?"

"So when it comes to a real sword, you'll be double as effective."

Garret nodded his understanding. He had felt some pain from being thrown to the ground, but so far, the armor had served it's purpose. He retrieved his sword and then assumed the same pose.

_"Now!"_

Garret came at him and Jason allowed him to once again attack him for at least a minute. He blocked and dodged the clumsy attacks, a smile almost forming on his face as the boy struggled with the heavy sword. But he quickly made sure that no one saw that smile of amusement, for it would not be good to see the lieutenant smiling during a training session, if this is what could be called such a thing. Finally, he knocked Garret's sword out of his hand with one smooth motion, and then dropped down to deliver a blow to the boy's armored shins, completely taking the slim boy down once again.

Garret was visibly becoming frustrated. He sniffled and picked up his sword once again, this time running a distance away from Jason. Jason could almost smile at the way he now had tears in his eyes. Frustration brought out different emotions in people, and it was time to see how this boy reacted. Garret sucked his snot and tears up for a moment, and then let out another battle cry, this one notably more fierce, and charged once again.

This one met the same end as the last. Garret thrown to the ground again and again. The ritual was repeated on and on, and Garret, despite his armor protection, could only sustain so much punishment. On this last attack, his attacks had lost a lot of his aggressiveness, and he was easily beaten down. Jason delivered an elbow to the back of his helmet as he lay on all fours, pounding him to the dirt. And this time, Garret did not get up.

He was not unconscious or anything of the such, but his will had finally shattered. He finally began to whimper in anger and sadness, almost as if this beating was bringing back memories of his past. he looked up at Jason, who returned the look without mercy at all. Or maybe more mercy than anyone, though he hid it well. Jason scoffed at him, and then walked toward him, stopping at his side. Garret had finally began to gently cry, his youth catching up to him.

Jason knelled down and softly spoke.

"Go ahead. Just lay there and cry...like the little baby you are proving yourself to be."

Garret looked at him in disbelief, almost as if he could not comprehend what Jason was saying.

"You wanted to learn to fight, and now you simply lay there, crying like a little coward...because that is what you are Garret, a coward. You wanted it, and yet now you just want to lay there and give up. Your a quitter. You can never be a warrior with that attitude. Why I wasted my time is beyond me."

He slowly stood up, allowing Garret to watch him through tear-streaked eyes. Jason slowly walked a short distance away, allowing himself to keep Garret in his peripheral vision. And then he let out one final stroke.

"Your mother would be so ashamed.

Garret had been slowly crying on that ground for several minutes as Jason watched without any mercy...that Garret could see. Then he saw Garret make a move to get up. He smiled.

"Oh, so you _do_ want to continue?"

Garret slowly reached forward and placed one battered arm on the ground just in front of him, and pushed. He had done so much in so little time that his strength had taken a heavy toll. Garret pushed however, and...just a little...he began to push himself up.

"You are far better being on the ground, you coward. You can't take care of yourself. You don't have the strenght to even get up. Why are you even trying?"

Garret's eyes still filled with tears. But he pushed with all his strength, and managed to get into the "all-fours" position. He took several deep breaths.

"I thought you were just gonna lay there and cry. Why the hell are you even trying? You know you can't beat me Garret, and yet your still getting up? _Still_ going to fight me, with no hope of victory what-so-ever?"

Garret looked up from his position and looked at Jason. Jason saw something he never saw before in the boy's eyes. Something was nestled within him, something powerful. Garret then slowly put on foot flat on the ground, and then with a grunt of effort, pushed.

Jason raised his head up a little higher, his expression still uncaring, though his heart was warming. Could he be...?

Garret was finding it hard to get up with his battered legs. But then he seemed to draw something from himself, some strength that he thought himself he never before had. A power had awoken within this young boy, and with one final push of effort, he stood up before Jason, finally standing upon his two feet. He slowly raised his sword with sore arms, and then took several deep breaths to steel himself. And then he rushed at Jason, his eyes filled with determination...

But the lesson had been learned...

_"Hold!" _Jason called.

Garret stalled and then stopped several feet before Jason, slow to stop. His sword dropped from the upright position from which he had held it, and he stared at Jason with anger in his eyes.

_"I'm not a coward!"_

"No, you most certainly are not...and that is what you just proved right now."

Garret looked at him in confusion.

"Huh?"

"Garret you just learned your first and most important lesson. And that lesson is something that will help you even outside of combat."

"Wha-? What was it?"

"_Will_ Garret. You now know that you can get up, even when you have been smacked down. You have learned that you can get up even when you are going to get smacked down again. And you also learned that when you have the _will_, then you will never be defeated, at least not for long. Willpower is a warriors greatest strength, it does not matter what else they have."

Garret only began to nod. Jason slowly approached and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"The winner of a fight is not the strongest, Garret. And it is not the fastest. The one who will win, inevitably, is the one who does _not give up_. The winner is the one who keeps fighting, against all odds and hope. True strength is only in the heart, not the arms or the legs or the abs. The strongest muscle in you is your heart...your fighting spirit. And when it is better than of all your opponents, then you _can not lose_."

Garret slowly nodded. And then, at that revelation, a smile slowly traced his young face.

Jason did not smile, but only stared into his eyes, his hand firmly upon his shoulder. His eyes told Garret all he needed to know.

And watching from his tent's open entrance, missing nothing, was Lord Orion. He smiled at the scene before him, and nodded in approval.

_Full circle_, he thought.

-**Hours Later**-

Darren led the hunting party at a brisk pace through the woods, stopping only to observe the tracks of the deer they were hunting. They moved as silently as ghosts, disturbing not stone nor tree. Darren listened for the sound of the wild as they ran, and he could swear he heard a faint sound of a deer mating call. He grinned as he pointed the way, and the group redoubled it's pace.

He signaled a halt and they stopped, not the least out of breathe. He looked down and examined the ground beneath them, his sharp gray eyes missing nothing. There he saw it, as plain as if it had been laid there not seconds ago. A deer footprint within the slightly muddy ground. It was a medium sized one by the look of it, which suited them just fine. He heard a rustling of movement in the distance, and then ordered them to spread out and approach.

As they followed his orders, he kept moving forward, jutting from tree to tree, in order to stay out of sight as much as possible. His eyes were focused ahead of him, and he spotted a flash of movement in the distance, about a hundred feet ahead of him. He waited until it started to move again, and then moved in his pattern once again.

_There she is..._

The doe was grazing happily, unaware of the hunters now taking up an arc around it. Darren spotted them, all three of them, taking aim and he slowly held up and arm to signal them, making it slow as not to alert their prey. They each drew their arrow back and then looked to him for the signal to shoot. The goal was to immediately put all three arrows into the deer, guaranteeing an almost, if not instant, kill.

_Almost, almost_...

He waited until it started to graze again. He was about to lower his arm.

_BAM!_

The doe jerked it's head up at the noise and then took off, alerted to the presence of something nearby. The brothers were alerted to, but they merely jerked their heads toward the noise. Darren listened for it again, and it repeated itself once more.

_BAM!_

Gunfire...

Darren looked toward all of his hunters and jerked his head in the direction of the noise. They assumed their standard movement patter, leapfrogging through the trees, making sure only one was visible at once. Slowly, but surely, they approached the sound of the noise. The sight before them was something that made them all duck for cover.

There was a large, obviously man-made clearing. A equally man-made road led through it, with no pavement. Two trucks were parked at the opposite edge of the clearing. And then there were the people.

A row of filthy people sat on their knees, tied up by their hands, and forced to sit upon their knees. They were mostly old men and women, though he saw several with limbs castes and other such things. In front of them stood armed men, wearing military style clothing, and armed with an assortment of pistols and rifles. One of them was receiving a large chew-out by what seemed to be their leader.

"What are you thinking! I told you to use a silencer! Are you just so damn stupid!"

"Sorry man, I just got carried away..."

"If you get carried away again, _I'll_ get so carried away that I will shove my boot so far up your ass that they will have to take us both to the hospital. To get my foot out of it."

"Alright already, I'll put a silencer on. Geez, it's not like anyone is going to hear!"

"Sound carries, you dumb shit. Or do you just not know any better?"

The man grumbled and placed a silencer upon his pistol. Several other guards did the same. At the signal of the leader, the men with silenced weapons stepped forward, and then the horror began.

They each seemed to pick a section of the tied up people, and then place a bullet square in their foreheads. Darren found himself biting into his fist as he watched. One of the brothers reached behind him to draw an arrow, and he even raised it to take a shot.

"No!" Darren said in a loud whisper.

"But are you not seeing what I'm seeing?" the brother protested.

"I counted thirteen guards. That is over four times our number. And with the firepower they have, we would be gone within thirty seconds if we try to intervene. I know this sounds heartless, but we can't do anything right now."

The brother gave him a look of pleading. But Darren hardened his heart and shook his head. Then he turned to see that during his talk, most of the poor people had already been shot. Most had mercifully died at the first shot, though some lay moaning, and the executioners had to place another round in their chest to silence them. Darren felt himself trembling with pure hatred. This needed to be reported to Lord Orion. He slowly led the hunting party away, as the leader of the murders entered one of the large trucks and began to transmit a message.

-**Several Minutes Later**-

The boss had had a good day so far. The orders to begin the cleansing had gone through several hours ago, and he had happily been dozing in his office, his feet on his desk. With the destruction of the more weaker workers, he would finally have more room to give to the newer ones, and not waste time and money giving care to the elderly. What care he allowed them anyway.

His voice box on his desk turned on, and a sharp voice called out.

"Sir, we have news."

He reached over and hit the reply button.

"What would it be?"

"The cleansing is complete. They are heading back now. The bodies have been burned and no trace was left that they could find."

"That is very good, very good indeed."

He released the button and returned to his lax position. A smile crossed his face as he dreamed of just how much money this business was making, and how much more lay in store.

This day was going so good, that in fact he might even see about bringing in another girl from the collection of his. Maybe see if he could find an attractive Asian girl, with an exotic look. Oh how he loved to take his pleasure upon the more exotic young ones, especially virgins...

-**Fifteen Minutes Later**-

Garret had been recovering from his bout with Jason. He lay there eating a bowl of rice that had been made for lunch. He ate it heartily, loving this new taste that he was getting accustomed to. He had spent years on gruel and bad bread. The food these boys made tasted like mana from that place people called "Heaven", whatever that was.

As he ate, memories came back to him. He remembered his mother, crying as she laid in bed with him and his twin sister, both of them sandwiching her between them, and she holding onto them for dear life. He remembered playing with his sister with improvised toys of animals and sticks, having the joy that they could only find in a sibling bond.

And he also remembered his mother becoming sick. She had laid in bed for weeks, only given several meds by the strange men that came to check on her. They always scoffed and said that she would be "thrown away" and disposed of, but he and his sister stubbornly held hope.

He tightened his grip on his spoon...

They came for her in the middle of the night. Several men with guns and black uniforms. They dragged her out of bed and one of them hoisted her over his shoulder, carrying her away. He and his sister fought, screaming and crying for their mother, before being summarily slammed with the butt of their rifles and then taken somewhere else, into one of the buildings that their mother had talked about. She only talked about them a few times, but she told of bad things happening in there. They did not know what they looked like, but they could not mistake where they were now.

And then, as they held each other in the strange cell they had been thrown in, they heard several gunshots in the distance...and they never saw their mother again...

He and his sister were forced to do many things. Help carry things to places, and help make trinkets and such. Guards stood nearby, with pistols and whips, and they could receive a lash for any reason that the guard desired. Some even seemed to simply enjoy lashing them, and he had endured countless blows. And then he managed to find a breach in the fence. It was small yes, but he was just barely able to get through. And then they came after him...

He thought back to his sister, and then looked at his food. He remembered what they were fed and suddenly found himself in a surge of guilt and disgust. How could he eat such good food, when his sister was being so horribly treated? How _dare_ he!

Then a thought came to him, a wild one, but something that might work. Could he possibly convince some of these "brotherhood" guys to go with him to free his sister? Could he possibly talk to Orion and even manage to help free all the people trapped within that hell? The though built up more and more, until he simply could not take it anymore, and then set his almost finished bowl down, walking toward Orion's tent.

He peeked in, and saw a boy with blond hair and very gray eyes talking with Orion. He wore the black and red armor that he saw the others in, and he watched as Orion listened to what he had to say. They boy said something, and the others reacted in horrified manners. Orion closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. Jason had a look of rage in his eyes, and his jaw was tight. Another boy, black haired and white skinned, with blue eyes, snarled a swear.

Orion then dismissed the three, and Garret quickly moved out of the way as they exited. After they left, he slipped into Orion's tent. Orion had his back turned to him.

"Sir..."

Orion turned and seemed surprised that he was there.

"I have a...request."

"What is it, Garret?"

"I would like to ask...if you can...if some of you guys can go with me and...get my sister..."

"What do you mean, exactly?"

"Sir, my sister is still in there. I know they are treating her horribly...can't we...can't you..."

"It would be very dangerous for you to go back there, Garret."

"I know, but I wanna go get my sister out of there. After momma was...killed...she became the only family I have left. _Please_ sir, can you guys help me?

Orion listened to him with clear, sorrowful sympathy in his eyes.

"Do you know where your sister is being held?"

"I think so."

"You _think_ so?"

"Please sir, can you people help me?"

Orion stared into the young boy's eyes and saw the bravery within them. He had truly realized something in that fight with Jason. Jason's lesson had apparently hit home within him. He had awakened courage that had been lain dormant, but very much there. Orion contemplated this, and then nodded to Garret.

"I will ask my brothers and see what can be done."

"Thank you!"

Garret ran out of the tent, his spirit soaring.

"I'm coming for you Elizabeth...I'm gonna get you out of there..." he said to himself, almost like a vow.

**Well, I hope you all have enjoyed this chapter. Seems like little Garret has discovered something about himself...anyway, remember to review! All I ask is a few words, or longer if you wish. But in any case, thanks for reading, and...Happy Hunting!**


	5. Stories Revealed

Chapter 5: Stories Revealed

He awoke like he always did, his eyes slowly opening to the darkness of his room, the only light coming from the closed window blinds. He usually liked to have it dark, always dim lighting and shadows. He loved the darkness, the lack of light. For the darkness hid what people were, the monsters in the dark could roam freely. The light revealed all these truths.

He gently moved away from the girl tied up next to him, hopefully sleeping fitfully. His men had gone through on their promise to search through, and had found a nice exotic specimen for him last night. He had taken his pleasure with obvious lack of remorse, only seeking the thrill of the pleasure, the intimacy of the flesh. Then he had fallen asleep next to her as she cried, her weeping a soft lullaby to him.

He threw open his closet and breathed in the cool, musty air of it. His clothing was tucked and hung in extremely ordered rows along it, and he decided to go for a more casual look today, as he had nothing to do in terms of business to deal with for at least several days.

He dressed in a nice pair of slacks and a white, tight T-shirt. He strode outside to his hallway and began to walk down it, loving the way the dimmed sunlight cast an eerie glow of lighting through it. He opened the door to his office, and stepped within, feeling that if he had no formal business to do, then he might as well have a little fun on the internet or take some exercise later. He pulled his leather seat back and plopped down into it, giving a call on his desk voice box to have the girl in his room returned to her cell.

He opened his email and checked through the various messages, mostly deleting the spam and other such stuff that currently clogged it. He paid attention to several others, and nodded as he agreed with their proposed messages. He answered a few from his workers, making sure he answered whatever questions they had thoroughly. Well informed employees made much more happy employees.

Then he found one that sparked his interest, as it reminded him of a very important issue. He opened it up to see that his secretary had sent one to remind him that the local sheriffs of the towns nearby had not received their bribes, and that the times for payment was near. He nodded and breathed deeply in relief. Thank god he had a good secretary. And she was especially attractive as well. Maybe he could take her out sometime for some champagne and a little more "action" than she would usually get. He smiled at the images running through his imagination.

He had been paying the local sheriffs quite bit of cash these days to give the order that no one was to go wondering through the woods near his facilities, and that they could be punished for doing so. He loved how the local police were so corrupt, that he merely had to give them some doe, and they would spit-shine his shoes while an elderly woman was being beaten to death just yards away. They would take a "nickel off a dead man's eye".

He typed up some reports and then began to write out the payment checks, and thought back to his success of all this time. He smiled at the memory of how he managed to bring this whole operation to the fold, something that a lesser man would never have been able to do. America was the land of opportunity, as he had been told as he served a different nation. But that saying was quickly proven true as he entered this business, and now he was in charge of the largest trade on this side of the border. Oh, how he loved life.

He got up and practically danced out of his large office, walking toward the main doors. He flung them open and breathed the cool air. The "convinced workers" were already quite busy in the workshops and such, and so the only living things he saw was the occasional guard standing at the gate or patrolling the fence line for any possible trouble. He had increased security since the incident with the escapee, which to his annoyance, had still not been caught. Due to those "ninja boys".

He chuckled at the memory of those pathetic guards. How they begged and pleaded their case with such an absurd defense as being jumped by a couple of boys who just happened to have great martial art skills. He was not ashamed ar bothered at all by his forced disposal of them. The only thing he did not like was the bloodstain was still not completely out of his carpet yet. He would have to set someone to work on that later.

A stroll was what he needed on so fine a day, and that is exactly what he began to do. He walked along the fence line, nodding at guards who came to attention for him as if he were some general patrolling the lines. In a way, he was. He decided to see if he could stir up a little chat with one of them.

"A very nice day we are having, eh?"

"That it is, sir."

"No trouble from any of our workers?"

"None, sir."

"That is very good to know. As you know, I am quite a busy man, and so I can afford very few mistakes on the part of my employees."

"I do my very best sir."

"As I am sure you do, god knows I pay you enough."

The man smiled.

"That you do, sir."

"Yes, I do. Well, keep up the good work."

"I shall do so, sir."

The boss nodded and strode off, humming the tune of "part of your world" to himself as he walked off.

The guard watched him go, and heard the tune he was humming. He shook his head and muttered to himself. The man might pay them very well, but he sure was a pretty huge...well, freak...

-**Orion's Tent**-

Jason pulled the flap back and noticed that several other brothers were seated within the tent as well. Dean, his bronze hair and typical Hermes features were crunched together in concentration of what he was hearing. Mikhail was there as well, and he looked up to give a half-grin to Jason as he entered, slightly disheveled from recently in the middle of sparring.

Orion was there as well, and seated a ways away from him was little Garret, giving the smile of a youngster seeing an older relative. Jason couldn't help but return it slightly, Garret's smiles were just so infectious. He really could brighten a dark tent with that little smile, the smile of an abused boy finally seeing through the evil of the world and embracing a brighter way.

Orion noticed Jason enter, and he spoke softly and formally to Jason.

"Jason..."

"Sorry lord. I think the message got to me a little late, and so I was sparring when I was told. I came as soon as I heard."

"No matter Jason, I was only going through the initial ideas. I have a...request to make of several of you. Well, actually, it is not my request to make."

There was some general confusion.

"Then why were we summoned...lord?"

"Because Garret has something he would like to ask you. I called you here because you three would be the best group I could think of to pull this off. A son of Ares and Hermes, and my lieutenant. But I cannot force you to do as Garret will ask of you, for this is not my request to make. Garret is the one with the question. Garret, step forward and make your request."

The boy slowly slid off his seat and stood in front of them, biting his lip. Jason kept his expression neutral, but Mikhail and Dean both gave him grins in a kind of reassurance. Garret made eye contact with each of them, probably seeing if there were any way they would not accept right off the bat. But he seemed reassured enough to begin to speak.

"Well, you guys know that I have a sister, right?"

Jason did. Mikhail and Dean nodded as the new information reached them.

"Well, that place I came from...she's still in there. I don't know what they are doing to her in there...but she is...well she probably is being really hurt by them. They might be taking out there anger at me on her. So I wanted to know if you guys...well..."

"You want us to help you get your sister out," Dean blurted out, trying to help stir Garret on.

"Well, yeah. I don't think I can get her out on my own. Actually, I know that I can't do it on my own. So if you guys think you can help me sneak in and break her out...well, I'll be your friend..."

The group laughed at the reward, clearly amused, yet at the same time, they could not ignore the immense bravery this young boy was showing. He had broken free of a truly hellish existence, only to want to enter such a place again, for the sole reason of getting a blood sibling out. Jason grinned at the boy's nervousness, but bravery like what the boy was showing on the inside could not be ignored.

Orion stood up and took the floor once again. He smiled at Garret's nervous way of sitting back down again, but his heart to glowed with the courage the boy was showing, showing without probably even knowing it. He turned to address them again.

"You have all heard what Garret had to say. I will leave you to decide if you will help him. At dusk, if you wish to assist him, then report back here. The rest of the day is yours."

They got up and Jason looked long and hard at Garret, who shied away from his look, almost as if he were embarrassed by what he had just said. But to ask people he just knew, whom he were just going to be in the care of for help in something as his situation was...bravery came in many forms.

-**Several Hours Later**-

Micheal led his group through the area, scoping for something they were not truly sure what. All they knew was they were looking like something that resembled a base of sorts, with several large buildings, looking sort of like warehouses. Given these vague instructions, he was still confident that something like that would be very hard to miss.

They moved at a swift pace, though not so fast as they couldn't suddenly stop if necessary. Micheal scanned the way in front of them, the mid-day sun lighting up the way. The space in front of them seemed devoid of anything unnatural, only the trees and the wild being their companions as they combed through the surrounding countryside.

They moved about several hundred more yards before they came across a clearing. They halted at the sight, as this clearly was not a natural clearing. It seemed to have been cut from the woods around them, and at it's two sides, a road was seen, branching off farther into the distance then they could see. Micheal sniffed the air and winced at what he smelled.

Death. There had been blood spilled here. The scent of blood and death and he swore he could even smell despair here, like a group of poor souls had been massacred like animals for slaughter. A smoldering pile was gathered up in a corner of the clearing, and the smell seemed to have been coming from there. They did not approach it, for the scent was simply overpowering. And then they noticed the truck treads in the dirt.

"Well boys, that looks like our path," he said, pointing down the road where the tracks led. They split up slightly, half of them on one side of the road, the other on the opposite side. They ran down the side of the road in the woods, just out of sight, making sure they made no more noise than absolutely necessary. The road went on for a way's, and then they began to make out dim sounds in the distance. Micheal gave them a signal and they slowed, making sure they could move without disturbing anything.

The place came into view gradually, and the group stopped in the last of the woods before they ended with an open area next to the fenced perimeter. On the other side of that fence, guards with what looked like at least AR-15 rifles or other variations of such patrolled, usually in pairs. Others stood guard at various junctions, and there were a good five of them guarding the main gate. Micheal was sure there were many more in the other buildings as well.

A large, extremely elegant mansion was in the distance, and it looked like a mansion of a living god, so huge and elegant it was. From where they were, it looked like it was pure gold in the sunlight, and there were many outbuildings and other such things around it. It sat a good distance away from where the other buildings were, and those buildings looked like something out of a prison movie. A really sadistic prison movie.

They looked indeed like warehouses, but with bars on the windows. They were huge, looking like they were capable of holding hundreds of people. He could see vent holes punched into the sides of them, as if to help ventilate it when too much smoke from whatever happened in them built up. And then he saw what looked like a kind of holding area, but it was huge, and it seemed like the exact thing you would expect criminals on death row to be locked up in. Just what was being held in there, Micheal actually pitied.

He gave a signal to the brothers near him and they gradually began to fall back, backing up slowly until they were out of sight of this Hell on Earth. If this was what Orion had sent them to investigate, then they might want to get back to him as fast as mortally possible...

-**Several Minutes Later**-

Jason had been playing out what was expected of them. He had been asked by Garret to go infiltrate a virtual slave camp, rescue his sister, and then get them out alive. Well, it could have been a lot worse...at least it wasn't the Pentagon...

He paced the training area, still giving out instructions to those needing them, but mostly being lost within his thoughts. Bravery like Garret's needed to be answered, but he was not sure if he should attempt to rescue anyone from the type of security that was sure to be there. If what garret was saying about the place was true, then surely, there would be some serious numbers of guards there.

"How old are you?" a young voice asked.

Jason whirled to see Garret standing there, a grin on his face. Jason couldn't help but chuckle.

"Why do you ask?"

"I'm curious."

Jason wondered how to answer this question. How to answer and then explain it to Garret. But Garret was young, and so he still had the mind of a youngster. So Jason decided to let him have it straight up.

"I'm 22."

Garret's eyes widened and he looked at him in shock. His mouth dropped several inches and then he spoke in his excited, nervous tone.

"But you don't...you don't look..."

"I don't look anything like that, I know...I am physically sixteen."

"But how...how can that be?"

"Garret, when we join the Brotherhood Of The Hunt, as it is known formally, we are given the ability to be immortal."

"Like you can't die?"

"Pretty much. The only thing that can stop that is if we die in battle."

"That is _so cool!"_

"Yes, Garret...it is indeed...cool."

Garret kicked at the ground and looked at Jason again with his curious eyes. Jason felt another question was coming...

"How did you join?"

"Come again?"

"How did you join the group?"

Jason swallowed as he remembered how he came to become the lieutenant of the brotherhood. Memories flashed through him of his childhood, and he gave an involuntary shudder. Garret saw this and he backed away slightly, wondering if he had just asked the wrong thing. He looked up at Garret with frighted eyes, eyes that had become all too painfully familiar.

"Are you angry...should I have not asked that?"

Jason swallowed and shook his head. He felt that...maybe...maybe it was time to tell someone his story in full.

Sit down over there Garret, I'll tell you how."

Garret had been pointed over toward a tree stump, and he walked over and lifted himself up slightly, before plopping down upon it. Jason chose to sit on a stool that he unfolded next to it, and he sat down, wondering where to begin.

"I had a rather...disheartening childhood, so to speak," Jason began.

"What do you mean?" Garret asked, moving closer to Jason.

"My mother said I was an accident. My father never said anything like that, but my mother was adamant about it. She said that I was the one who should not have been. My sister was ten years older than me, and only my dad kept them from doing me any real harm, at least up to a point."

"Why would your mother be so harsh on you?"

"I do not know Garret. Women can be like that at times, I guess."

"But my momma was real nice to me..."

"Well, then you had the rare experience of having a loving woman caring for you. Usually Garret, they are pretty much self-centered wenches. But back to my story."

Garret hushed and tilted his head in attention.

"When my father died in the Gulf War...well...now nothing was holding them back. My life suddenly became a living hell. They would constantly be beating me and doing other things to me...they were very fond of putting cigarettes out in my flesh."

Garret's mouth formed an O of shock.

"This kept going for several years. I was an abused puppy. I had no hope of ever getting out of there. The world to me was a cold, dark hole..."

Garret nodded, obviously so engrossed in his story, that he was not seeing the same somewhat parallels with his own life.

"Finally, they had be tied up in some alley. They were having fun with me, virtually torturing me for some pleasure of theirs. I had some bones broken and I was virtually covered in scorch marks from their cigarettes. And that is when I was saved."

"Saved?"

"Yeah, saved. By him," he jerked his head toward Orion's tent. Garret nodded.

"He taught me to be tough, to be able to get up on my own two feet after I had been smacked down by the world. He showed me the way of the warrior, and soon, he formed this group that you now see before you. And I was made it's first member, the lieutenant of them. In that position, only Orion has authority over me."

Garret nodded, the story sounding quite true. Jason had never given any reason as to why he would ever make anything up, and Garret heard his words to be honest and true. Brutal and unforgiving, yes, but honest.

Jason stared into the boy's frightened eyes and felt something begin to burn within himself, a kind of courage he himself never felt before. Not when he fought Artemis during the war, not when he fought Thalia several times, and not even when he personally attacked Nemesis at the moment of his lord's weakness. What this boy had endured and now was planning to do was beyond anything like that. Jason carried his sword in his hand, but this boy seemed to carry his in his heart, even if he himself did not know it...and courage like his was something that could not go unanswered...

"I will help you get your sister out."

"Really...?" garret asked, his eyes full of hope and his mouth twisting into a smile.

"Yeah...I will."

"Thank you!"

Garret then wrapped his arms around Jason and Jason was taken back by the sudden move. But his shock quickly dissipated and he slowly wrapped his arms around Garret as well. Garret hugged him fiercely for a good minute before running off to...well, only the gods knew where the hyperactive youngster ran off to.

He heard a commotion and Micheal and the other members of the scouting party came into camp. Everyone stopped and looked at them, worried at there expressions, which were very grim indeed. Micheal did not look nor talk to anyone around him, and only gave an acknowledging nod toward Jason. He did not stop by the weaponry tent to drop off his gear, and nor did he even try to take off his armor. He only made a beeline for Orion's tent, and Jason knew better than to interrupt.

Several hours later, he was called into Orion's tent, and he listened to the briefing of what had been discovered...and he did not like what he was hearing...

-**Dinnertime**-

Garret ate his meal in high spirits, confident that he was now going to be getting his sister back within just a few hours. Jason sat a certain distance away from him, and Orion was by himself as well, slowly eating the meat from the deer that had recently been taken down. Garret thought back to Jason's tale, and then looked at Orion with the same curiosity. He remembered all the stories that Orion told him about the ancient world, and then a thought came into his young mind.

He walked over to where Orion was finishing, and sat next to him. Orion noticed him and chuckled.

"Well, what is it now, young one?"

"You think before we go, I can hear one more story?" he asked. Orion chuckled again, and set his plate down.

"I told you almost all of the stories I know," Orion said.

"You said almost..."

Orion sighed and looked around, hoping to buy some time. The air was cool and moist. The sounds of the brothers horse playing and joking around was surrounding them. Orion smiled at their youthful bantering and decided that there was one story that he had not told Garret.

"Long ago, thousands of years in the past, there was an incredibly beautiful huntress. A goddess actually, one of the most..." he trailed off.

"What?" Garret brought him back to the present. Orion shook his head and smiled, continuing.

"She had taken a vow to forever remain chaste, and never to be taken by a man. She formed her own group of like-minded maidens, the huntresses. And she hunted the Earth for years, never before being rivaled by anything beneath Lord Zeus's sky. Until one day..."

"What happened?" Garret accidentally interrupted, his mind absorbing the great tale.

"One day, she met a man. She did not like men because of her vow, and so she initially distrusted him. He had skill that no mortal possessed, and he could not be rivaled by any of them while on the hunt. And he even was able to sometimes defeat even her accomplishments of hunting. For these deeds, she initially did not like him. But that eventually changed..."

Garret nodded as Orion trailed off again, lost in thought. He wondered why Orion was pausing, but thought he might be trying to make a dramatic effect, not thinking about just what was playing within Orion's mind.

"She spent some time observing him, and in that time, a different feeling began to take hold of her. She went on several hunting expeditions with him, and the more that they began to learn about each other and seeing each others skill, then the more closer they became. Finally, she became very good friends with him, though she did not know one thing during that initial friendship..."

"What was it."

"That he...that he was in love with her. He thought she was the most beautiful thing that had ever graced the world. Her skill, her way of being able to move so effortlessly, to stalk the wilds and...and her eyes. He eyes were like the very moon she was deity of...and the man knew that if he died, it was looking into those eyes that he wanted his last sight to be..."

Garret was actually getting kind of annoyed with how Orion would fade in and out as he spoke, almost as if he were trying to remember something about himself as he talked. Garret really wanted to hear the end of this story before he had to go. Orion needed to hurry up!

"One day, the goddess told the man something that brought all the joy in the world into naught by comparison. She had told him that she too had fallen in love. And that she had fallen for none other than him. When the hunter heard this, he felt that nothing else could be wrong, for if this was the one thing ine the world he could have, then he would have gladly accepted."

Garret nodded, his attention seized.

"On their final day together, they professed their love, and then the goddess went to spend the day with her brother. Her brother had seen his sister and the hunter together, and felt that it was necessary to end it before the goddess violated her oath. And so when the hunter went for a swim out in the ocean, he challenged his sister to an archery contest, and chose as the target, the unknown head of the hunter, who he spotted out in the water."

Garret gasped at what he thought was coming.

"When she heard the challenge to her skills, the goddess could not deny it. And so she fired her arrow expertly, and hit the hunter in the head, killing him. She did not know what she had done until his body washed up on shore, and she grieved for thousands of years afterward.."

Garret nodded.

"But the man's soul could not rest in peace. He believed that he had been betrayed, and when two other gods...or one god and a titan...appeared to his shade, and showed him a fractionated version of what happened, then he became convinced that the goddess was at fault completely. He swore that if they could return him to life and give him powers that were the match of god, then he would aid them in destroying the goddess and her kind..."

Orion closed his eyes and breathed deeply. How could he have been such a fool to have believed Kronos and Nemesis? He knew that Artemis would never have hurt him on purpose. How could he have been so blind...

"What happened after that?" Garret pestered him again.

"The hunter returned to the Earth, and he formed his own group...he dedicated it to be the opposite of the girl's group. It would be composed of all boys, and they would first make sure that the goddess and her huntresses were destroyed. And so they waged war upon them. The hunter openly attacked his once love..."

Orion took another deep breathe, composing himself.

"When the final battle came, much blood was spilled on both sides. But the goddess never gave up hope that the hunters would come to his senses, and he constantly attacked her. But when she finally got through to him, he felt the power given to hi by the evil ones beginning to kill him. And at that moment, when the goddess could have easily have destroyed him, left him to rot in the intensity of the pain he was feeling, she instead saved him. The hunter did not know why..."

"Because she loved him," Garret finished for him.

"Yes Garret...because she still loved him, even after all he had done. After all the pain and misery he caused her and her sisters, she still found the strength to see through the lies he had been fed, and save him from himself, in a way. And when she showed him what had truly transpired that day, he took his revenge upon the goddess that tricked him..."

Garret did not interrupt this time, only stared in awe as Orion told the tale, not thinking that he might possibly be telling him his own story.

"The goddess told him that she forgave him, and that she still loved him, even after all those thousands of years and the events that had recently come to pass. But the hunter could not forgive himself for hurting her, not yet. And so he left with his group, promising that he would come to her aid when she called for him. They had not seen each other since..."

"Wow..." Garret said, clearly shocked and pleased with this story. Orion forced a smile at him and told him to run off and spend what little time remained before he sent them to retrieve his sister. Garret ran off, his mind playing the story over again in his head. Orion sat on the stump and gazed at the moon, seeing her face within it.

"Oh gods, Artemis...Please, I cannot forgive myself...please..."

If it were at all possible, he could have sworn the moon shone brighter at his words...

-**One Hour Later**-

Orion watched his brothers as they filed into the tent. Garret came into the tent just after Jason, and sat next to him, looking at Orion with his usual wonder. Orion thought back to the story he told, and wondered if Garret would ever see the connection. If he did, he might actually rest a little easier, as children always seemed to understand some things better than adults. But in any case, he needed to inform them of what would be the situation facing them.

"By entering this tent, you have agreed to accompany Garret to help his sister, am I right?"

They nodded their understanding.

"Very well. Micheal, tell them of what you saw."

Micheal stepped forward and addressed them in a usual, business like tone. But there was an underlying current of uncertainty hidden beneath his usually stoic demeanor.

"The place we think Garret has been talking about is about five miles from here, situated within a fenced in perimeter. Based on what I saw, there are quite a few guards within the area, and they are heavily armed with at least semi-automatic rifles and pistols. We didn't notice any watchtowers, so I do not think you'll have to worry about any eyes in the sky, or snipers."

They nodded, mentally taking notes.

"There is a really large mansion a distance away from the "warehouse' structures that Garret has described. We think the main guard quarters might possibly be within there or somewhere close to it, so you might get some breathing room for a time. But that leaves the guards at the main gate as well as those patrolling the fence perimeter. They will have to be dealt with if we are going to get a shot inside."

Jason began to consider this as Micheal continued.

"The ware houses all look alike, and so we don't know which is the primary one. But Garret told us what the main building for housing the workers is, and we believe it is the large, almost prison looking one about several hundred yards behind the working buildings."

He tried to draw a rough diagram on a piece of paper as he spoke, and the group noted every little bit on that sheet of paper. They would need to be doing a lot of improvisation during this, and every bit of foreknowledge they have would come in extremely handy.

"And that is all I really can say. We couldn't tell anything else than that..."

"Thank you Micheal," Orion said, and Micheal took a seat. Orion then turned and addressed the group.

"I have taken it upon myself to include the brothers Morgan and Darren in this. I feel that brains and healing abilities might come in very handy during this. I really do not know what else to tell you boys, except some maybe ancient blessings..."

"We'll' get back alright, my lord. Don't worry." Jason said, and Orion nodded.

"I am sure you will. Now go while the night covers you..."

**Well, that was a interesting chapter to write. I hope you all enjoyed this, and remember to review. I did not get many for the last chapter, so try and get this one up to snuff...until we meet again, Happy Hunting!**


	6. Freed By Blood

Chapter 6: Freed By Blood

The group began to move out at a steady trot, keeping pace as to allow Garret to keep up. Garret would be of incredible importance when they infiltrated and needed to know exactly where things were. Jason ran slightly behind him, with Mikhail taking the lead. Morgan and Darren held the flanks. Dean was bringing up the rear, keeping watch for any ambush they might have managed to slip past.

Garret apparently was not used to running very long distances, as the poor boy was huffing and puffing all through the run. Jason, running behind him, asked if he needed to be helped or carried even, but Garret refused. He may not have the stamina of the boys around him, but the young one most certainly had some grit on him. Jason had showed that to him during the initial lesson he'd given him, and Garret seemed determined to continue his steak.

The woods flashed by as they ran, Garret still keeping up. Mikhail whispered that they should not be too far now, and the group slowed down to ease in detection avoidance. Garret seemed grateful for the slower pace, and also seemed to try to be hiding just how hard he was breathing. Jason felt a surge of confidence in the boy however. For someone to soldier on through hardship and misery and still have enough spirit to impress a group of hardened warriors deserved to be commended.

They saw lights in the distance, and they stopped and crouched down. Then they began move slowly toward the perimeter of the fenced perimeter, staying low at a crouched walk. Jason moved ahead to take point and he led them to the very edge of the woods.

On the other side of the fence, was the large prison like complex. Several structures stood, like large warehouses. The large mansion described was in the distance, and a ways away from it, closer to the warehouses, which were obviously the work buildings...had to be the holding building. Jason leaned down and pointed.

"Is that it?" he asked Garret.

"Yeah, it is," Garret answered. Jason detected a bit of fear in his voice. Obviously, that building represented some extreme horrors for him. Jason squeezed his shoulder as he walked over to Mikhail, who was watching for guards.

"See anyone yet?"

"We've got two goons walking up along the fence line. They don't seem to be interested in anything other than talking. Shouldn't be no problem."

Jason nodded. Darren pulled out his bow and waited. Dean slowly did the same, and aimed for the two distant guards walking past the fence line, talking almost as if they were drunk. And they probably were, considering how they walked. Garret saw the two taking aim and asked a question in a hurried, anxious voice.

"What are they doing?" he asked, indicating Dean and Darren.

"Their gonna' take those guards so we can get past this fence line."

"But they are on the other side of the fence!" he whisper/shouted.

"SHHHH! That's no problem for us. Just watch."

The guards came closer and closer. Jason was relived to see that the apparent budget of the place was too low for searchlight, and so the area near them was mostly darkened enough that they could perform without alarm. Darren and Dean waited until they were almost right in front of them, and then let loose.

The arrows tore through the air, right through the little holes in the fence, and buried themselves in the guards necks. Each of them jolted slightly as the arrows made their home in a vital area of them, and they both gurgled whatever final words were upon their cruel minds. Jason nodded with satisfaction at Darren and Dean's marksmanship. There was no force on the gods' earth that could match them in archery, save a few, and even they could not _best_ them. Only match them. Garret seemed impressed as well, not being able to hold back a quiet "wow".

They advanced through the remaining woods toward the fence line, their faces jerking to the left and right, eyes peeled for any more guards. They saw none, and Jason was relived to think that they might possibly have come upon them while the guards were overwhelmingly asleep, or perhaps partying somewhere. If this kept up, then they should easily be able to get the kid's sister out of here.

They reached the fence and began to climb. Garret was able to do this without much trouble. Though they made great pains to avoid rattling the fence or making to much noise, Garret still took a while, and he climbed down, rather than jump from the top as the others did. But they were conditioned and well-maintained, while the poor kid had been through hell. So they ignored his shortcomings, knowing that if worse came to worse, then they could always just throw him over the fence.

As Garret finally was on solid ground, they quickly assessed the area. The two guards bodies were the only ones they currently saw, but that did not mean that there could be more within those warehouses. They would have to be quiet going past them. And there were sure to be guards in the living building if that was indeed the living quarters for the workers. Jason leaned over Garret's shoulder and pointed at the supposed building. He nodded and Jason signaled toward it.

The group began to do a kind of slow run toward the building. Jason stayed alert for any sign of activity as they drew nearer, but he saw no other guards. They might possibly not have assumed that anyone would ever try something like this. Jason almost could smile with the way they were being so sloppy, but the situation did not really call for any humor.

As they drew nearer, the holding building looked more and more ominous and haunting. It almost looked like a smiling face, if one was half-out of his mind, and it seemed to be smiling at them as they approached, almost as if it were looking at food that it was about to swallow right up. Jason got a shiver up his spine looking at that building, and he knew that whatever they were going to find in there was not going to be a pleasant thing.

Dean opened the door slowly, surprised that it was not locked or anything. He quickly scanned the entryway, and signaled the others inside, seeing that it was empty. The group entered and quickly entered, shutting the door slowly behind them. The entry was dark and forbidding, simply a large room with two hallways jutting out from the back areas. Jason leaned down and whispered in Garret's ear.

"Which one?"

"That way," Garret said, pointing at the hallway to the left side.

They slowly moved down the hallway, which quickly curved to the left again. And when they reached the entrance, Jason had to whip his hand out and stop Garret from taking another step, for a guard was there, not ten steps away from the opening. The group behind him saw him saw what he did and immediately stopped as well. Jason stood rock solid as he watched the guard for a moment, and was relived to see that he had not turned to face them. His back was to them, leaning over a desk of papers, organizing them as he muttered to himself.

Jason turned to Garret and put a finger to his lips, indicating the need to remain silent. Garret nodded and Jason slowly began to walk toward the guard. The guard continued to mutter and shuffle through his papers, and Jason drew his knife slowly, as not to attract attention. Garret's eyes widened at what he saw Jason about to do, and he then closed his eyes tightly.

As the guard put down a stack of organized papers, Jason sprung forward and covered the guard mouth. The guard was able to get off a muffled cry of alarm before Jason plunged the edge of his blade into the small of his back. He screamed but Jason held his mouth firm, so his last cries were heard by only those who were in the immediate vicinity, which was fortunate for the group. Jason violently ripped the blade upward, increasing the lethality of the attack. The guard struggled for a few seconds before slowly going limp. Jason slowly lowered the guards body to the ground, and closed his eyes for him out of habit. Then he signaled to the others to continue through the only way seen, Darren covering Garret's eyes as they passed the body.

Garret pointed out a new way as the passageway split once more, and they slowly followed him, allowing him to take the lead. Jason was satisfied to see that he had seemed to get the idea that stealth was a very good thing to use right now, and he moved steadily and cautiously, checking the way before he blindly walked through it.

Garret finally found what he seemed to be searching for. A black door was in the middle of the hall they just entered, and Garret paused for a moment, almost as if the door was something that he did not wish to pass through. He simply stood there and stared at it as they caught up with him, and Garret fidgeted as he stared. To him, that door looked like the opening of a monster that was about to swallow them up. Jason gave him a gently nudge and he gathered his courage enough to point at the door.

"Through there..."

That was all they needed to know.

Mikhail took the lead and slowly pushed the door open. It made a fairly loud creak as it opened, and they hoped for a moment that no guards were nearby to hear it or be right on the other side, for if that were the case, the mission could be over before it reached it;'s halfway point. They waited for nearly a minute, staring into the darkness that filled the area behind the door. There were very few sound heard, and the group relaxed. One by one, they each crossed over the border of the door, Garret having to be somewhat forced. Jason did not want to bring him back to the site of his pain, but they would need the guidance, and he needed to face his demons.

The darkness of the place was stifling. Jason could hardly see past the edge of his hands when he reached out completely. He looked around and found that he could just barely make out the outlines of the brothers around him, and that strange blob between them was most likely Garret. Garret slowly took the lead, and they had to hold each others shoulder, for to walk even a few feet away from each other meant losing all visual contact.

They slowly made their way down the damp, cold and dark hall, and reached an area with a little more light. But the fact that there was more light was very low compared to the sight that faced them. They halted against their own will, for they simply could not help but stop and start at the insides of the barred rooms to the sides of them. Saddam Hussein might be smiling upon this place from the depths of Tartarus.

The room on the side of this hallway seemed to be taken right out of some medieval torture dungeon. Within them, Jason saw instruments and stacks of tools that looked like they had been designed for the sole purpose of inflicting pain upon others. One had a rack where chains were attached, in order to hold the helpless victim as the operators did whatever they wished to do upon them. Blood still lingered upon the dark wood, and hooks and other objects were in a stack nearby, and Jason could swear that he they had seen recent use. Stacks of thumbscrew and wrist breakers were in others, and other objects that Jason could not contemplate, for only a mad sadist could know what they were.

As they passed the hall of torture and death, shaking their heads and trying to block out the scent of death that prevailed throughout it, they entered another part of the long hall, and this one was obviously for use of a different sort, if nothing any less sadistic. This area was obviously where the guards and others could enjoy the opposite sex with whatever they wished, whether their own bodies or various objects. Mats and mattresses were strewn about, and Jason felt bile rise in his throat at the sight of what lay upon some of the sleeping mats. Garret seemed numb to all this, and Jason could understand why he would be reluctant to enter this place. Only a true monster could ever find joy here.

Finally they came across another door, and this one seemed halfway maintained, being clean and having it's gears oiled. Jason stepped to the side and opened the door while Mikhail and Darren stood in front with arrows on their bows, ready to shoot down any guard that might be standing guard before he could see what was entering. But no guard was in sight, but people were in there indeed. The coughs and occasional moan was sign enough. Jason nodded at Mikhail and he slowly entered, the rest filing in behind him.

They had reached the holding cells. All around him, the barred cells were filled with people, most with one or two, though some had a group of three or more. Many hugged each other as they slept fitfully, and some looked at them with amazement, unable to understand what had just crossed into their own little Hell. The people were filthy, and dressed in equally filthy clothing. The group stood in shock yet again at the sight of the inhumanity before them. Even during their war with the hated huntresses, they never would have even considered such treatment of them. This made the monster of Tartarus seem more like tame puppy dogs by comparison.

Garret immediately began to walk rapidly, snapping them out of their shock, and they swiftly moved to stay close to him, making sure he did not get out of their sight. He seemed possessed by some will, and that may very well be the case. He had come to get his sister out of this hell-hole, and now that he had the help to do it, he obviously was not going to waste any time on anything else. His mind and being was focused on that one objective, and that sole objective alone.

On and on they moved, through the twist and turns, all the way past the emaciated people, some crying in their sleep, and others too exhausted, almost dead, to be crying about anything. Garret made a final turn and then broke into a run, the group catching up to him before even a second had passed. He swerved to a stop right in front of a cell at the very end, where the shape of a definite female was curled up on the mat, shivering in the coldness of the area. Garret ran up and gently beat on the bars.

"Elizabeth, it's me! Wake up, it's me, Garret!"

The form slowly moved. She crawled up, and the dim light revealed her to be an almost exact copy of Garret, just of the opposite gender. Her eyes and hair were the same color as his, and the way she moved was very similar as well. She slowly raised her self up and looked at him with half-closed eyes, the said eyes swollen shut from a very painful sleep.

"Garret...?" a soft voice asked.

"Yes, it's me! I've come to get you out of here! These guys are going to help me!"

The girl suddenly seemed to snap to reality and realize just who was standing outside her cell. She bolted up and tried to hug him through the bars, her eyes filled with tears and her voice coming out in sobs. Garret reached his arms through and did the same attempt at hugging, though the bars sort of hampered the attempts. Jason studied the bars, trying to deduce a weakness for a kick to open them. Mikhail took over that honor though.

"Allow me," he said. He grinned at Jason and then signaled the girl to stand back. She did so and Mikhail took several deep breathes, trying to summon the strength he would have as a child of Ares. Then he lifted his foot and violently brought it upon the cell door. There was a resounding snap and the door was broken straight down, making a second thud as it hit the ground. Elizabeth bolted out of her cell and embraced her brother tightly, both of them crying.

"Garret...you came back for me!" she sobbed as she held her brother.

"Of course I would...your my sister..." Garret sobbed back, and held her for all he was worth.

Jason could not help but smile at the touching scene. He never had a sister that loved him like Elizabeth obvciously loved her twin brother. Then Dean walked up and whispered loudly to Mikhail.

"You do realize that whole charade was not exactly necessary, right?"

"Huh? What do ya' mean?"

Dean then held up a set of keys and dangled them.

"They were on that guard we took down. He had several sets on him. So that little hulk impersonation was not really necessary."

"Oh, blow it out your-"

"Guys, we've got the girl, now can we hurry up here?" Jason interrupted.

"Oh...yeah."

Elizabeth and Garret were still locked in embrace, still holding each other as tight as they were able. Jason decided to give them a moment longer to come to terms with the fact that they were reunited once more. But time was of the essence, and after that moment, he reached forward and tapped Garret's shoulder.

"Garret, I know your all happy now...but we seriously have got to get going..."

Garret slowly peeled away from his sister, and nodded.

"Okay..."

And then Jason heard something close by, the sound of keys. He looked over to see Morgan messing with the door to a nearby cell, which held two young children who seemed no more than eight or nine. Jason walked over and gently grabbed his shoulder.

"Morgan...what are you doing?"

Morgan looked at him with discontent in his eyes.

"Jason...look around you. These people need help."

Jason gave him a rare moment of understanding. These people were in truly deplorable condition, and it would behoove them to do something for them. But they could not afford to waste much time, and the far better option, in Jason's mind, was to alert the local authorities of what was going on here. They did not have have the ways that would be necessary to help them on their own.

"We cant do anything for them yet Morgan. I know you think that this is the right thing, but we seriously can't help them on our own. We need to get some higher, mortal authority on this, and let them deal with it."

"And what if these guys already have those guys on their payroll? The cops could know full well of this place and are being bribed to not touch it. Just look around ya'. These people are not going to last much longer, living in this shitty hell-hole! We have got to get as many of them as we can out of here."

Jason's hand slowly lowered from Morgan's shoulder. He looked around at the people, who mostly had awake and were standing at the bars of their cells, looking at the strange boys in wonder. He looked all around at their filthy clothes and faces. They were of many age ranges, but all were the same in one thing. The same hopeless look in their eyes. Jason slowly looked to the ground. Then he looked up at the ceiling, or rather past it...then he turned to look at Garret and his sister.

Jason had survived a horrendous abuse at the hand of his mother and older sister. His mind flashed back to the things they would do to him, things that still haunted his dreams and awoke him in the middle of the night. He remembered the feeling of hopelessness, the feeling that there was no light at the end of the tunnel for him, and that he would die, cold and abandoned, if not for the actions of Orion that cold and rainy night. Ever since then, he had tried to do the same for those who had eventually become part of the brotherhood, and he always loved to see the fire of hope in their eyes...

The look in Garret's eyes said it all...He turned to give the order to Morgan...

_SMASH!_

Mikhail had decided to take matters into his own hands and had placed a kick right at the cell of the two kids, breaking their door down. They squealed and joined Garret and Elizabeth, looking back at the boys. Mikhail turned back to Jason and Morgan, staring in disbelief.

"Well, ya' guys were takin' your dear sweet time..."

Jason shrugged. Morgan took that as his cue and began to go down the rows of cells, unlocking one side as Darren unlocked the other. Dean stayed near the assembling group of former slaves, as a kind of rallying point. When all were done, Jason guessed they had a group of between sixty or seventy people, a rather large load for five boys to escort.

Jason had to think for a moment about the reality of what they were doing. This was a large group of people that they had just become responsible for, and now they were going to have to get them all out of here. The only way out was the way they came into this building, and then there would be the open ground of the property until they reached the fence. And then they would have to climb that fence, which would take some more time, especially in their abused bodies.

This was not going to be easy...

"All right," Jason said in a loud whisper. "Is everyone feeling capable of running at least moderately fast? And does everyone feel that they can climb a fence? We can't leave through the main gate, that is sure to have a good amount of guards."

They all nodded, though Jason swore he could see some doubting themselves. They had good spirit, but what he was asking of them may be too much. They had been living in Hell and would probably not be able to move as fast as the situation warranted. But Jason knew that someone who saw freedom at the other end of the tunnel was someone who did not want to get left behind, and so he took a deep breathe and began to give his orders.

"Dean, take point. Make sure the way is clear before we move. Darren and Morgan, you will go once about half of them are outside. Me and Mikhail will bring up the rear. Rally outside in the shadows, and I'll give you guys further instructions...now _move_!"

The people hastened to follow Dean out of the cell block. Jason saw them paying attention with ample ability, and he was impressed with the resolve that the freed people were showing. They obviously saw their chance for freedom and were not going to be left behind. Jason waited until the last person exited the cell block, and then nodded to Mikhail, who followed him out. They followed the trail of people running out of the building, and ran into the cold night air.

The horde of freed people were huddled in the dark corner cast by the building they had just left, the building where the nightmares haunted them, and they spent their time praying for salvation. Many of them no doubt wondered if these strange boys were just the salvation that they were hoping for. Jason looked into their cold and hungry eyes for a moment before giving more instructions, this time taking the risk of raising his voice slightly.

"Follow Dean toward the fence line. Dean, lead them to where we entered from. Try to stay low and not make a lot of noise as you run. When we get there, Dean will go first, and then will run a bit into the woods. He will give you guys a signal to know where to go if you can't see him. Dean, you still got some flares?"

Dean nodded. Jason swallowed hard and gave the order.

"All right folks, move it!"

The horde of people began to run for the fence where the group had entered, and it was at this moment that Jason knew that thewy were all vulnerable. All it would take was for an armed guard to come out and see the mass of people running. He could draw his weapon and open fire, and even one shot would be needed to alert the others that were surely within the other buildings. Jason brought up the rear, silently goading the slower ones on, for they could afford no extremely slow people to bog the rest down.

It was probably the longest run that he had ever done, or at least it felt like it. The darkness was thankfully darker. There were no guards that he could see, at least for the moment, and the people seemed to be making goo time getting to the fence, following Dean. When Dean got there he paused, looking back at Jason for any further instructions. The last of the people caught up and began to catch their breathe whiler Jason moved through them to tell Dean what was needed of him next.

"Alright, get a little ways in, and then light one of your flares. Folks, when you see that light of his, get over to him. He'll lead you guys to a safe place, at least for the moment."

Dean climbed the fence with expert skill. He quickly hopped down and ran off into the dark woods. The people began to climb as well, and that was when all hell broke loose.

"There they are! They're trying to get away!"

A gruff voice yelled something in the distance. Within seconds, a distant alarm was sounded, and Jason could hear dozens of feet coming right for them. he swore every curse word he could imagine as he threw off his coat and drew his bow.

"Son of a bitch, I knew it wasn't going to be this easy..."

The people heard the noise of the approaching guards, and more than a few let out cries of terror. They began to climb faster, but it still was not fast enough. People jumped on the fence right after one got a good distance up it, and climbed as hard as they could, for their very freedom, if not their life, was now depending upon it. Jason kept glancing back toward the guard house, and saw the shapes of at least two dozen guards coming right at them. Jason notched an arrow and raised it to fire. He picked out a target about a hundred and a half yards away, took a deep breathe, and let loose.

The arrow sailed right for it's target and he clearly scored a hit. Jason had not time to acknowledge his fine archery, as the people were still struggling to get up the fence. The abuse they had gone through had drained them physically, and their cries of fear tore at the stoic hearts of Jason and Mikhail, who had come to support his lieutenant.

"Come on, goddamn it!" Jason roared. The people seemed to get the picture of just what the situation was and climbed faster, but it still was not enough. Those guards would catch them pretty quick. The last few people were still waiting to get over the fence. The guards came even closer, and both Mikhail and Jason fired once more, dropping two more guards. But it would not matter how many they killed in the precious little time left, for by that time the rest would be on them with their rifles and pistols.

And that was when Mikhail shoved Jason back toward the fence. The move caught him completely off guard, and he glared at Mikhail, who simply looked at him with a grim determination.

"Mikhail...just what the hell do you think you are doing!" Mikhail stepped in front of Jason, that act alone showing demonstrating something that was immediately putting a tightness in Jason's gut...

"Listen man. You have got to get those people away from here. There is no way that they can get out if someone doesn't buy you a little time..."

Jason was dumbstruck for a moment, and then the horrible realization came over him. He wouldn't dare...

"Mikhail...what ever your thinking..."

"I think I said what I was thinking enough, now get out of here!"

"Mikhail!"

"Go man...I got this..."

He turned and Gave Jason his cocky grin, the grin that only a child of Ares would have. Jason felt his gut tighten even more as he reached forward and gripped Mikhail's shoulder tightly, giving him a strong, yet brotherly grip.

"Find peace...brother..."

Mikhail gripped his shoulder just as much, just as the final person managed to clear the fence. And the solder were almost in spitting distance. Why they had not fired already was anybody's guess.

"Find peace, my brother," Mikhail responded, and turned to face the black clad monsters. Jason turned and basically jumped to the top of the fence, adrenaline rushing into his legs giving him strength. He was on the other side and running, heading for the signal light of Dean's flare in the distance.

Mikhail turned to see the guards forming just twenty yards away. His bow was useless now, as he would be gunned down before he could reload. He would be gunned down anyway he chose to fight, and he would not get much of a chance to do that. But he was buying a crucial few second with this final stand. He drew his sword with a resounding _swoosh_, and faced the guards, who were rasing their weapons. Mikhail grinned...children of Ares lived for these moments. He raised his sword.

"What are my final words? oh yeah..._fuck you_!" he charged.

He rushed forward, a final battle cry in his throat. The guards raised their weapons and fired, the bullets striking the armor beneath Mikhail's coat. Mikhail felt the pain of the rounds smacking into him, but he completely ignored it as he rushed forward. The guard in front of him managed to put three rounds into his armored chest, the bullets impact being blunted by the armor. Mikhail drove his sword into the guards neck, and then tore it out, whirling to strike at another guard. As he ran him through as well, The rest of the guards kept their distance, and then delivered a mass of fire, several rounds going through Mikhail lower throat, where it met the shoulders.

Mikhail fell to the ground, blood following out of his mouth...and that same mouth forming a final smile, in his last moments. Mikhail died satisfied...he died a member of the brotherhood. There was nothing more anyone could have asked of him...

Jason felt the final volley of rounds as he ran. Due to the darkness, no one saw the tears that began to flow down his cheeks, and that was exactly as Jason wanted it...


	7. Let It Out

Chapter 7: Let It Out

Numb.

He felt numb to everything. Numb to the wind running through his hair. Numb to the strains of his legs as he ran. Numb to the panting of the refugees as they struggled to run beside him. Numb to the calls of his friends and fellow brothers as they tried to say something to him. He was just numb.

He had seen a lot of death. He had caused some of it. Whether it had been someone who was abusing a boy or a group of them, like a corrupt orphanage. He had caused more casualties then he remembered upon Artemis's hunters, when they fought their war with them. He still remembered the sweet feeling of running his blade or sending an arrow deep into the flesh of those wenches, paying them back for every little boy who had lost his life or humanity, for the simple act of stumbling upon them.

But not now. Now he was numb to it all. There were very few, oh so few, that he trusted. Many of his brothers were still not informed about his past, but they got the feeling from the few words he had said that it was bad. Very bad. He had opened up to only a few of them. Lord Orion had been the first. Orion had been the one who saved him from such horrendous things, right when he was on the edge of life. Orion had brought him back, and raised him as his own. Did Orion think of him and the rest as his sons?

Of course he did. Jason could not believe that he would even contemplate such a thing. Orion was a father to them all. And so they were all sons to him. If he had never said it, then he had demonstrated it, countless times. Men were far less emotional than women, women giving to losing themselves in their passion. But it had always been there, behind Orion's eyes when he looked at them. They were closer than friends, for they were family now.

But he was numb at this moment. The numbness of seeing one of the few people you trusted, the one who always had your back, slain. He had not actually seen him die, but he heard the volley of shots, and he heard the final cries of Mikhail. He could imagine him wielding his sword as bullets slammed into his armor, fighting to take as many down with him as he could. Jason expected no less of any of his brothers.

And he had lost many of them as well. Just as they had inflicted huge emotional pain upon the huntresses, so had the huntresses hurt them, badly. They were boys, and so they would never admit their pain. But it had been there, the twist in your gut at the feeling of every brother lost. He had met with every single one of them. It was he who led the ceremony that indoctrinated them. And he had recited the sacred vow to them, and heard them repeat it to Lord Orion, promising their loyalty to their new brothers. To accept Immortality at the daggers edge.

_At the dagger's edge..._

Those were the key words. He had heard of the huntresses pledge. It was very toned down, and it did not allow any of the downsides to be mentioned. Each brother was immortal, but only to a degree. They would never die of old age or disease. They were faster and stronger than normal demi-gods, and due to their gender's naturally higher strength, stronger and faster than the huntresses. But they were just like them in one major category. They could be killed. They could still fall to the reaper's blade. And as Orion did not want to sugarcoat the pledge for his brothers, he had added those fateful words.

The lines that had played out today. Mikhail was one of the best fighters they had. He had been the first brother after Gabriel and Micheal had been entered. Orion had found him fighting for his life in an orphanage, and brought the poor boy to their camp. Jason had learned his place at the ceremony, and remembered how Mikhail had stumbled over the words when he recited them. The memory did not bring comfort, but only tightened the gut within Jason's body.

But he was still lieutenant. And he still needed to get these people to safety. Mikhail's last wish would come true, if it cost him his own life.

"It's not too far now!" he called out to the running group. He was shocked at the dryness of his voice.

The group was surprisingly strong, or maybe the last of the adrenaline was still pumping in them. But these people would be dropping soon, and so he needed to get them rest. But the camp was only a short distance away, and there would be plenty of time to rest there.

And he would need to find something to say to lord Orion...they had gone there for one person, and they brought back dozens...

**-Brotherhood Camp, thirty minutes later-**

The brothers were surprised to say the least. It was not everyday that a horde of abused people just suddenly arrive at your encampment. There were some cries of alarm and some of the former slaves were frightened by the sudden appearance of armed and armored teenage boys, but Jason was quickly able to calm them. He told the people to gather near the border of the camp, and ordered several brothers to light some fires for them. He needed to speak with Orion.

Orion was standing outside his tent, watching the people as Jason approached. His eyes traveled over Jason's body and he saw the look in Jason's eyes. He stared at him for a second, and Jason opened his mouth to say something. But as he did, his mouth would form the words, but no sound would come out. Orion did not wait for him to collect himself, and instead goaded him inside his tent.

Jason staggered, yes staggered, inside the tent. he couldn't even move his legs properly anymore. Now that he was out of sight of the others, it felt as though his feelings were now sensing their moment, and were trying to rip his way out. He forced himself to walk smoothly in Orion's presence, but it was taking a lot of control. More than he had ever expended from the simple act of walking.

"Jason, who are those people?" Orion asked calmly, almost as if he were expecting the answer.

"They're the people that were being held with Garret's sister..."

"I thought you went there to retrieve his sister, and no more?" Orion asked, but there was a tone in his voice. Jason could have sworn that he was sensing...proudness...but that could not be confirmed, not in the emotional state that Jason was in. It was taking total concentration to keep his emotions in check and make his report.

"We got her sir. But the others...sir, the state they were in was so...the others wanted to free them and...I just couldn't..."

Orion stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Jason, I see what you have done. You knew that those people could not last much longer in whatever state they were in. What was the situation there?"

"Sir, I had not seen anything like it. The monsters...they do not compare to these people. I saw things in their that made my skin crawl. They make the Titans cruelty seem like a little tame talking to. The rooms had things in them..." he trailed off, remembering the horrific gruesomeness of the sights he had seen.

Orion nodded. He looked Jason square in the eye and nodded.

"You did the right thing Jason. We cannot expect what life will throw at us. We must learn to be flexible and cope with what is unexpected. No one in the right mind could have left without doing something for those people. And you and the others did far more than something."

He thought of something for a moment, and then turned back toward Jason.

"Jason, I saw you and the rest with the refugees. But where is Mikhail?"

That was the question that broke Jason's control. He suddenly began to tremble and his mouth opened slightly, to let out strangled whimpers. He shook and was almost convulsing with the need to keep his emotions down, but it had become a raging firestorm that needed to come out. Orion saw his reaction and his face changed from surprise to sympathy. Jason's reaction told him what he needed to know, at least for now.

"Sir..." Jason's voice came out in a wheezing sound. "May I have a moment?"

"Go to the woods a certain distance from camp, Jason. You may take all the time you need. I know how close you two were. I will keep everyone here. If we hear anything that resembles what I think it will, no one will investigate. Go...my son..."

Jason did not acknowledge Orion's calling him a son. He already knew that. But now he needed to be alone, for the dam was about to burst. He pulled open the tent flap and steeled himself for a moment before stepping out. Then he began to make for the woods.

Several brothers tried to ask him something, but his expression immediately forced them to reconsider. They had not seen such pain on his face. Physical pain would have been a luxury to what he was experiencing now. He walked briskly into the woods, and kept walking.

He did not stop walking until he was a good thousand or so yards from the camp, at least as far as he could tell. He reached a small clearing and did not stop as much as fall to his knees. He took several deep breathes, in a final attempt to calm himself. But the setting was just right, and his sadness could no longer be denied action.

He fell to the ground and hugged it for a moment, and then he screamed. He screamed with all the force h could bear. But the screams were silent. He knew Orion would not allow anyone to investigate the sounds, but he could not bring it to bear to allow them to hear his sorrow. His screams were powerful, but he forced them to be silent. He could not allow himself that luxury of sound.

But nevertheless, whether he could afford it or not, it came. He could not longer hold it back. He needed to howl his grief. And so the next scream of agony was loud and clear, piercing all the still air around him. He threw his head to the moon, and screamed at fate, screamed for his failure to ensure his brother's safety, and he screamed for all those he had lost. He had not cried for over five years, ever since his initiation into the brotherhood. And so this was a long overdue.

He could not stop yelling. His voice was soon throaty and scratchy, and still he could not stop. The pain inside him was nothing that bandage nor wound could heal. Not even the embrace of a family member or friend could help him right now. No, this was te only remedy, to grieve in the manner best to him. And he was a warrior, and so his grief would come as cries of defiance, not of sorrow. But those cries were of sorrow anyway, nevertheless what he would have rather they'd been.

_Mikhail's initiation, the lost child of Ares with attitude even in front of Lord Orion himself..._

_ Mikhail laughing with him as they ate and talked and fought with their fellow brothers..._

_ Mikhail fighting side by side with him, watching his back for the occasionally sneaky huntress..._

Jason screamed as the memories enveloped him. The pain was worst then when Nemesis had run him through. Worst then the battle wounds suffered from the huntresses or by bullets or knives. It was like his heart had been set ablaze by the memories he had of Mikhail, and that was not all.

He was seeing the face of every member of the brotherhood who had taken that knee in front of Orion and recited the oath of the brotherhood. And he had seen them all, for he had been the first to do it. To make that oath. He saw the memories of them all, of all of his brothers smiling and lost in antics, still acting like the teenagers they were.

He was crying for them all...

He lay there for gods know how long. His voice was gone, lost in the shrillness of his screams of pain. His body was exhausted with what he had gone through and witnessed. He felt no strength in his bones as he moved slowly, trying to get up, but found he could not. The pain was just too much.

Then another memory came to him. Mikhail once again, and this time, it brought no pain, no sorrow. It was the memory of his initial test. The same one Garret and the others had received, all starting with Jason. They found the will to get up even after being severely beaten by a superior fighter, to keep fighting no matter what the odds. Every single one of them had done that.

Jason's eyes opened once again...

Many people often think that it is completely the teacher that teaches and it is the student's that learn. But that is not always the case. There are many times that a teacher will learn from his or her students. Just as he or she teaches, so he or she learns from their pupils. Jason's eyes darkened with raw determination. Mikhail had gotten up and continued to fight even after Jason's pounding. So had Gabriel and Micheal after theirs. All through the line to Garret. Jason had gone through it himself, being mauled by Lord Orion in his first fight. And learned to get back up, to keep going even when there seemed nothing left. And each time he saw another new brother do it, he learned determination just a little more.

He swore he heard Mikhail's voice in that instant...yes, it was his voice...ghostly, but _his_ voice...

"_Get up...get up!"_

Jason struggled to lift his head.

_"Get up, damn you!" _

Jason put his hands on the ground beneath his chest, and pushed, his upper body slowly, painfully himself lifting up.

_"Get up on your own two feet!"_

Jason grit his teeth and put one foot forward, and then pushed on it, forcing himself up slowly, but more and more.

_"You are our lieutenant! Set an example! Get up!"_

Jason finally forced himself to his full height and took the one comforting gesture still left to him. He held his sword handle as he steadied himself.

_"That's better..."_

Jason closed his eyes and lifted his head to the sky. It was starting to rain. And it felt like the most wonderful thing to him. He felt all his pain in his mind and body being washed away...

_"You are the best in all of us, Jason. We'll always be there for you, my man..."_

Jason slowly opened his eyes to the sky, feeling the drops of rain on his face. The grief was done, the pain was extinguished. Mikhail's face loomed behind his eyelids, and he smiled for the first time in a while. Brotherhood was forever. All his brothers, who had passed to the hereafter, would never truly be dead. Not while he still carried them in his heart, in his deeds. They lived within him, within every member of the Brotherhood Of the Hunt.

Jason took his first unconstrained breath. It felt like his first of life...

"Find peace brother..."

**-Holding Center, Boss's Mansion-**

"Maybe I was not quite as clear as I would like to have been. Allow me to rephrase myself. Just _what the fuck happened_!"

His top guards quivered in fear in front of hus desk. And they had a damn good reason to. The boss had never been more angry than as angry as they were seeing him now. They were expecting to get a 9mm bullet right between the eyes at any moment.

"I want a clear explanation of just what the hell just happened right underneath our very noses!"

"Sir...it seems that a group of people managed to get over the fence, kill several guards, and then free most of the people being held in one of the main detention buildings."

"And just how did this happen? Does it not make you wonder at all? Is the question not swimming in those little things called brians deep within your craniums? Brains that I am about to scoop out with a spoon!"

The flinched from his outburst.

"How many did we lose?"

"About five sir."

"Five workers?"

"No, guards."

"I don't give a shit about worthless guards, I am talking about workers!"

"About...maybe sixty to seventy..."

The boss stood in shock for a moment. Over at least five dozen had got away from them. How could they allow this to happen?

"Who...did...this?" he asked, his voice quivering with unbridled rage.

"We don't know sir...but they fit the description of those that have been hounding us lately..."

"Oh bloody hell! Don't tell me that this was done by the same people that have been causing havoc with us these past few days! They are a bunch of little boys playing warrior, goddammit!"

"We have one of their dead sir. He was wearing what looked like some old style armor under hic coat. And he wielded a sword as well. He killed several of us before we took him down..."

"Don't you people have guns? You just said he killed some with a sword!"

Their silence was all that was necessary.

"I am surrounded by incompetent assholes..."

"Sir, they were fast, really fast. They somehow managed to get the people mostly away. If that one kid had not stayed behind and...we would have gone after them. but-"

"I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses. You deserve to be shot, every one of you!"

"Sir..."

"NO!"

He slammed his fists down on his desk. He looked down at his desk and took several forced breathes, for his anger was almost strangling. Then he slowly looked up to glare at them, and they shuddered at the look of his cold blue eyes...

"I want them found...do you hear me? I want you all to get all the men you can spare and begin to search for these "boys." I want to know where they are hiding, and then we are going to go and we are going to kill them. Every last one of them. And then we are going to show those people what happens when they run away. Is that understood?"

There were some slight nods.

_"Is that understood!"_

"Yes sir!"

"Get the hell out of my sight..."

They were quick to obey. The boss sat at his desk and tried to make sense of it all. How could a group of teenage boys sneak into his work camp, kill several guards, and then escape with over five dozen people? Just how in the lord's name was it possible?

He stroked his forehead and looked in the mirror. His Latino face showed weariness, but that was not unexpected, seeing he had been rather rudely awoken from his slumber by the alarms and distant gunfire. He clutched a fist on his desk, and growled at the world around him.

He was Carlos B. Negrero. He had founded this little empire from it's very roots. There needed to be a way for the people on the streets, who bummed out and did nothing, to be able to do their keep to society. But there were too many soft-hearted, conservative minded people who would not allow that. Curse them all to Hell! There needed to be a way for those people to earn their damn keep, and he made sure of that.

No group of little boys would ever change that...

**-Brotherhood Camp-**

Orion had seen to the refugees. They were huddled in an area about a hundred yards from camp. The brothers had lit fires around them, and they huddled around them. Orion had seen to their food as well, and he sensed that the brothers would have to pull double overtime hunting for these people, at least as long as it took to find somewhere safe for them.

Orion remembered a far more brutal time, when these people would never had been set free. They would have just been kept in the cold dungeons for as long as they lived, and then be put down when the could no longer work. He shuddered at the brutality of the past, and yet it saddened him to see it alive and well in the modern day.

The children among them were laughing and running around, acting as if this were their first time out in the woods. Sadly, it might very well be. Some of them clung to adults, people who may very well be their parents. It was amazing how strong family bonds could be, even in the face of such a hellish life as they had been having. No child should ever go through what these people were going through.

He looked around at them, nodding at some of them. There had been several rather embarrassing times when several of them had fallen to their knees and hugged the legs of one of the brothers. It was a scene, but considering the state of these people, most were simply bid to rise and get some food or whatever they needed. Orion had never seen more nobleness in anyone then he was seeing in his brothers.

Now he knows why he chose them...

He felt some little hands wrap around his leg, and looked down to see that Garret had gone to his knees and was hugging his legs. Orion could not help but chuckle and the extreme humility. Garret was sobbing as he held his leg.

"Thank you...thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Orion let out a full blown laugh.

"There is no need for such a show, young one. Only a monster of the deepest pits of Tartarus could have ever have simply left those people to rot."

"What's Tartarus?" a small, female voice asked.

Orion looked past Garret to see a small girl, Garret's age, standing behind him. She gazed up at him with wonder, almost as if Garret had told her all he knew about him. She was filthy, but that was expected. Orion was shocked to see the brightness of her blue eyes though. They shown through her dirty face and and ravaged blond hair. But she stood there so innocently and gazed at him, that he could not help but chuckle again.

Garret looked up from his hold.

"That's my sister. That's Elizabeth."

"Well, hello there little one."

Elizabeth did not reply, only continued her awed gaze. She was most likely very shy.

"Could you...could you tell me some stories?" she slowly asked.

"Say again?" Orion asked, not quite hearing her.

"Could you tell that story? About the hunter and the goddess?"

Orion sighed. Garret had most likely told her of his nature, or at least strongly implied it. It was a rather painful story for Orion to tell, for obvious reasons. But he smiled at the young girl and pointed toward his tent.

"GO there and rest. I will tell you both the tale in just a few moments."

Garret cheered and grabbed Elizabeth's hand, running with her toward the tent. His joy at being reunited with his sister was obvious, and Orion wished him all the comfort that he could bring him. Garret had shown incredible promise. He sensed it the moment he first met him. His nobleness of wanting to go right back into Hades on Earth to rescue his sister told him almost as he needed to know about this brave young boy.

He smiled and began to walk toward his tent.

In the woods near the camp, Jason was walking slowly back to camp. His grief had finally been satisfied. The painful memories had been though of and dealt with. Now he clung only to the memories of them all smiling, him and Mikhail. Of him and of them all. He was even smiling at the memories that were swirling in his head. Mikhail would not want him grieving over him. That was not the brotherhood's way.

Now he thought of something else. He remembered the "dagger's edge" line and realized something more. The brotherhood was of a limited immortality. That was the purpose of those words in the oath. They were only immortal until life was forced from them by the hand of another. But memories were something else.

Memories could not be killed. They could not be harmed. And as long as he held the memory of his fallen brothers, then they were not really dead. Their bodies were rotted. Their words were silenced. But they fought and lived and yelled for joy within his heart. And in his heart, they could not ever die.

Mikhail and the others he had lost...were truly immortal now.

Orion had finished his story, and was leaving to allow the two children to ponder. Elizabeth had not disbelieved his confession about being the Orion of legend, the once constellation in the sky. He wondered why children were far more accepting of seemingly far fetched tales. But he decided that it was their young minds, still expanding and wondering about possibles. And so they could accept something even as strange as what he told them.

He took some deep breathes of the night air before he spotted a figure moving through the trees toward the camp. He did not raise an alarm or call a challenge for the person moved with the same style and grace as the boy he knew so well. Instead he approached him, in order to have a word before he rejoined hi brothers.

He stopped in front of Jason, who took several more steps before drawing himself to his full height before his Lord. Orion looked at Jason's tear streaked eyes, and yet stronger now, for the grief had been allowed it's one moment of power, and then shut off. He now would only cling to the memories that he needed, the ones that defined who those people were to him...brothers.

"Is it done?" he asked, simply and directly.

"Yes Lord. It's done..."

"Good."

Orion did not hug or show any affection. He only reached out a hand and firmly squeezed Jason's shoulder. It was not a gesture a father would make to a child, or a friend to a another. It was just that, a simple squeeze on the shoulder. But there was a power in that simple gesture, something one could not get from family or friends. Orion nodded several times before releasing him to return to his tent.

As Jason passed by him, Orion did smile however. His mind flashed back to the first moment he had met him, a cold and starving thing, abused by cruel and heartless people. And now a warrior among warriors, leading a band of brothers to a better life...

Now he knew why he had chosen him...


	8. Decision Time

Chapter Eight: Decision Time

Micheal grumbled in annoyance. The deer they had been tracking had just now been taken down, it's urge to get away forcing the brothers to use several arrows where only one should have been necessary. It was amazing what fear could do to animals.

Micheal and the others went over to it's final resting place and began the process of initial cleaning, before beginning to carry it to the camp. This was actually the third deer they had killed today. And the several other hunting groups were busy too. Sixty-five extra mouths to feed was not a small amount, at least for a group of twenty five brothers...well, twenty four now.

Micheal had been saddened by the loss of Mikhail. he had been one of the best fighters and most loyal of the brotherhood. They all showed incredible devotion, but Mikhail had set an example for all those that followed. And the way he died, buying time for dozens of people to get some safe distance away from that place, showed all he would need to enter Elysium, or whatever paradise he may have believed in.

But for now, he had to push aside the memories and focus on getting this damn stinky deer back to camp. While he had absolutely no disagreements about freeing those poor souls from that hell, this was going to be hell trying to feed them. He hoped Orion had a plan to get them to safety soon...

** -Brotherhood Camp-**

Orion stood outside his tent and sat in a fold-out chair, resting for a moment in the surprising warmth of the day. The brothers, who would usually be training, were now having to devote most of their time to caring for the group of refugees that Jason and the others had brought in. Several of them were here, tending to injuries and those refugees whom were weak or sick.

He had kept his Apollonian brothers here to care for them, as well as several guards to patrol the area around the camp. Beside them, everyone else was on a mission to gather things, most notably food. There were several hunting parties combing the woods, getting anything they could, from deer to squirrel. The Hermes brothers and the rest were stealing what they could from the various stores in the local town.

Right now, they were still huddled in some tents that the brothers had erected for them, though they mostly stayed outside, huddled in groups. The significant number of children they had played and ran around them. Orion found their laughter as they enjoyed their new found freedom to be a very calming noise.

Garret and Elizabeth had been inseparable from each other in the time they were now together. They ran together, played together, and ate and slept together. Orion found it very sweet last night to see the two of them asleep, hugging each other for warmth, the warmth only a sibling could give you.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breathe, allowing himself to meditate in a way. He had discovered the skill several years ago, and he was surprised at it's effectiveness at clearing his thoughts and troubles, at least for the moment. That was when he felt a tug on his pant leg, and raised his head and opened his eyes to see the wide eyes blue eyes of Garret, with Elizabeth next to him, grinning.

"Well, what can I do for you little ones now?" he asked.

"I wanted to...well, I wanted to give this to you..." Garret said, holding what seemed like a kind of necklace. Orion leaned forward to inspect it when Garret held it out.

It was a necklace of some sort. That was certain. But what shocked Orion beyond a shadow of a doubt was what the symbol hanging from it was. It was the crescent moon, in a bright sliver color. It practically sparkled in the light. Orion opened his mouth to say something, but it was cut off by Elizabeth's giggle.

"You like it?" Garret asked.

"By the gods Garret...it's beautiful..."

"I thought so too!" Garret was practically jumping for joy.

"How did...how did you get this?"

"I made it."

"You what?"

"I _made_ it!"

Orion was thunderstruck. These children made something so beautiful? How?

"How did you-?"

"We managed to gather some metals that you guys said you didn't need anymore. We just kind of put our heads together and made it."

"And your giving such a treasure to me?"

"Yeah! Your the one who let us go get my sister."

Orion slowly reached out and grasped the necklace. It was beautiful and strong at the same time, so rare for a necklace. Orion slowly brought it up to his face and stared again at it. It was the symbol of the moon..._her_ symbol...

"How did you...?" he tried to ask, but Garret and Elizabeth only laughed and ran off, finding sudden attraction in an unknown child's game. Orion stared off at them, and then at the necklace, before fitting it around his neck. It fit his broad neck perfectly, almost as if it had been designed by something other than simple children...

**-Holding Center-**

Carlos Negrero scanned the map of the surrounding area, stroking his chin softly. He studied the terrain, the marks indicating pools of water, and the elevations. He needed to find out just where would a camp of adolescent boys would be hiding if they did not want to be found.

Adolescent boys...teenagers...just what was going on here? Who were these teenage boys to go around in strange armor and gear and to make his guards and other employees shiver in fear. He had lost quite a few to them. There were the two he executed for stupidity. They deserved that, and he saved himself valuable money in paychecks.

Then he lost those three that were in town looking for that runaway, and were diced by what was apparently another of those boys, seemingly sent straight from hell by _El Diablo_ himself. And then was the most embarrassing, the most infuriating part. A group of them had infiltrated the camp, killed five guards in their visit, and escaped with over five dozen of his workers.

Who were these people? Where had they come from? The answer was running wild, like a blind wasp. But who ever they may be, they made one big mistake. They chose to fuck with his operation, and now they were going to pay for it with their lives. And those people that dared to run from him would soon realize the folly of their endeavor,m as he made them more miserable than ever before, if he didn't decide to simply kill the bunch, every man, woman, and child.

He leaned back in his chair, and rubbed his eyes. He had not slept much lately, for providence seemed to have frowned ion him in the last few days, ever since the boys started their reign of terror. In fact, he really did not remember the last time he got a decent nights sleep.

Well, he had better get back ti work. he leaned forward again and examined the map, looking at the areas close to the compound, or at least relatively close. Where could a camp go unseen around here. Then he glanced at the area south of the compound, and then it was like a light bulb went off.

Those woods there were very thick, and it was highly possible that planes could not see the ground from there. Furthermore, there was a lot of cover in such an area, and so if you wanted to blend in, then you could very well have colored tents set up and then you would have the perfect camp, almost completely hidden from prying eyes.

It all came together in that instant. _That_ is where they were hiding.

He called in his top lieutenants and informed them of what the situation was regarding the location. He had a new area for them, and he was sure that their quarry was there. In turn, he pointed out the possible camp site to them all, and they each agreed, whether it be out of fear or sincere agreement did not matter to him. He knew he was right, and that was what truly mattered.

"By this time tomorrow, I want those boys dead!"

**-Brotherhood Camp-**

"Very good. Now try again," Jason said.

He stood several feet in front of Garret as Garret tried the several new sword moves that Jason had taught him. Due to his small stature, Jason had recommended he try and go for the lower parts of an opponent, the areas that they usually did not see coming under attack. So Jason was forced to keep his sword low to block Garret's blows.

Garret came at him again and slashed at him from left to right, while occasionally stabbing at his thighs. Jason was able to block the blows easily enough, but if Garret kept getting this good, then Jason could see him becoming am master swordsman within just a few years. He was already far surpassing himself from when he was first starting. Granted he knew nothing of sword-fighting when he started, but it was still amazing how quickly he grasped it.

Seeing Garret's growing skill made Jason wonder. Very few could manage a sword as fast as he was doing. Could it be that garret was not exactly...well, human? Could he have the blood of a god within him? Could he be a half-blood? Jason did not think much of it, but as Garret showed his more and more capable abilities, Jason could not help but start to believe.

"Again!"

The duel began once more, and Garret attacked with the same ferocity that he always did. It was amazing how much spirit the little guy had. Jason thought that someone in his situation would be scared of his own shadow, but Garret seemed practically fearless. He was surrounded by tough, deadly teenage boys, and he was still abler to play and laugh and run among them without the slightest sign of fear. Could his experience have had the opposite effect? That was not unknown, for Jason was a living example of it.

He remembered his own first days with Orion, before the brotherhood really was even a brotherhood. He had been the first after all, so in a way, he guessed he had been the one that anchored the rest. He was the lead recruiter anyway. People who wished to join were brought before him before they came close to Lord Orion. The huntresses may just let any little girl join, but to them, the group had to approve before you even saw the leader.

He remembered his abuse, and instead of allowing it to control him, Orion taught him to control it instead. To use his anger and fear and bring it out when he needed that extra boost when fighting for his life. And so Jason learned to bury it all beneath his heart, and not to dwell on it, but only use it.

But Garret had not had the same upbringing with supporting people that Jason had. While he had probably suffered even worse than Jason had, he was not showing any of the sign of a abused child, more like a child that was free and unbound by the world. He seemed to be doing the same thing Jason had done through training, completely through his own willpower.

What made a boy able to do that? Jason didn't know, but he was grateful for it.

"Can we take a break?" he heard Garret ask.

Jason turned his head at him, looking puzzled.

"Why do you want a break?"

Garret was panting, and sweat poured off his little brow.

"Because I'm really tired..."

Jason approached slowly, lowering his face to look Garret at his level, eye to eye.

"Do you think you will be able to take a break in the heat of a fight?"

Garret did not respond for a moment.

"You won't...won't you?"

Garret seemed to get the picture that he had asked the wrong thing, and slowly shook his head.

"If you ask for a break in the middle of a fight for your life, then the nly break you will get is when your soul is sent to Hades. That would be the break for you. You must keep fighting, until either you are alive and your opponent dead or defeated, or the complete opposite. Do you get what I am telling you?"

Garret slowly nodded. Jason nodded his acceptance and gestured toward the water jugs.

"If you need a drink, then go ahead. But make it quick."

Garret ran over and began to drink from the metal cups that were set out for everybody to use. He took a long drink and then set it down, racing back toward Jason. He assumed his fighting position and Jason grinned, twirling his blade for good measure. He looked at Garret with the look of a viper, and his grin only seemed to enhance that image.

Garret was not intimidated as Jason hoped, or rather, Jason was happy he was not, and attacked. He seemed to follow a pattern in his attacks, which Jason noted. He would attack from the left and then the right in several cycles, and then a vertical slash before going back to his horizontal attacks. This would not do.

As Garret made another repeat, Jason anticipated the move and slammed the sword out of his hand. Garret seemed shocked at the unexpected move and stood in stunned silence afterward for a few moments, looking at his fallen sword, and then to Jason.

"You were attacking in a pattern that was pretty easy to follow. That is something you can't do and still fight good. You have to learn to be unpredictable Garret. An unpredictable enemy is a dangerous enemy."

Garret took it in and then nodded, and then picked up his sword. He stood facing Jason, who gave a nod. Then he attacked once more...

**-In the Woods, near holding compound-**

Darren slowly made his way through the brush and the trees, making neither sound nor sudden move. He practically crawled through, so low he was to the ground. His armor was camouflaged, and he had covered his face with some dabs of paint in in order to blend in better.

He had been sent to check on the camp where the refugees had been freed from. The camp that had claimed Mikhail's life. Orion was worried about them possibly sending out search parties and discovering their camp without warning, and the weaponry they could probably bring to bear would leave the brotherhood severely outgunned.

To the twigs crushing against his body, he paid no heed. To the leaves and grass that tickled and pricked his face and arms, he made no acknowledgment. He was trained to remain silent and make no more movement then necessary. To make even the slightest move to ease discomfort was paramount to suicide. He needed to remain alive at least long enough to report back to Orion of what he might find at the base.

Finally, it came into view. The hated base of torment, of slavery. Darren wondered why they did not report this to the local authorities. But then the thought that they may very well know about this place, and are being paid quite handsomely to not do a thing about it. Hell, the cops were probably enjoying the lack of homeless on the streets.

He stopped at the edge of the brush and lay rock-solid, and whe he did, he knew he was virtually invisible. The only possible way for something like people to find him was to step on him. From this position, he looked out at the compound. And he nearly gave his position away with the flinch he gave when he saw the sight.

Within the fence of the compound was the largest gathering of armed men he had ever seen. They wore black uniforms, military style by the look. They were carrying boxes out of several trucks and stacking them to the side, while several opened them. Darren saw them take out rifles, military style looking ones as well. He guessed they were semi-automatic AR-15s, but they definitely looked like the real M16s, which were also capable of fully automatic fire.

They were gathering together for a massive operation. Many of them were in groups, talking when they were not helping to unload. Darren could not hear their chatter, but they sounded excited about something. One of them let out a heart laugh and gave a pointed gun sign toward the woods, seemingly right at Darren. he made the motion of firing his invisible gun, before turning back to his friends.

Did they...could they have figured out where they might be hiding? If they did...

Darren knew that this was bad. As if the gods had decided to scourge them right off the face of the Earth bad. If these people were about to comb the woods for them in this massive group, with all the firepower they were now bringing out, then the huntresses were a comforting fairy tale. At least they could match them in those terms any day.

He saw larger boxes, but he couldn't make out the markings. But if he was right about that feeling he suddenly got in his gut, then they were in the worst trouble they could be in right now. Orion needed to be told. They all needed to know what he had just seen...

He slowly turned and began to go back the way he came...

**-Boss's Office-**

Carlos stared outside his office window at the gathering troop. He smiled and nodded at the sight of the trucks full of ordnance, and the guards he had called in unloading some of the more heavier boxes. He had called these in from all over the area, from the smaller camps that he had from around the state.

He felt excited, almost feverish with joy. He had phoned in to his reserve guards from all over, calling in around seventy-five extras. He then fed these to the group he had guarding the compound that he could spare for this. By the time they were all arranged, they would be a formidable group.

He looked off into the woods in the distance, and just imagined the possible camp for these little troublemakers. He truly was bringing the hammer down on them, and the hammer would drop very soon. He almost giggled with joy.

Walking over to his desk, he called in to his second-in-command, who would be staying here to watch over the remaining guards and the workers that did not get away. He heard his voice answer and asked for an estimate for how much longer it would be before they could begin the sweep.

When he heard the answer, he was almost giddy with excitement. Tomorrow morning, they could begin to sweep through the woods that he had mapped out. He was already calculating the orders to give, the formation he wanted. He wanted to miss nothing, to catch any sign of a possible camp or previous campsite. And when he found that group of little urchins, their firepower would utterly level it completely.

This was what made life good...

**-Brotherhood Camp-**

Dinner time, for the brothers and the refugees alike. Micheal had brought in their third deer that day. The brothers who had gone into the town had come back with their backpacks full of food and condiments. Garret and his sister were eating off with the others, so Jason and several other brothers were sitting off by themselves, eating in peace.

Micheal was about to drink from his glass of soda when he had an idea. He raised his glass high, toward the heavens.

"To Mikhail..."

Jason did not feel the twinge of sadness. That had already come and passed. Instead, he raised his glass with the others in the group, and they all repeated the blessing. The deer meat was good. Two of the deer had gone to feeding the refugees, along with most of the things the brothers had taken from the town. But there was plenty for all, due to the exertions of the groups best hunters and thieves.

The meal was going good until they saw Darren. He was running at a full sprint toward the camp. Jason and the others saw the look on his face, and put down their eating utensils and food to stand up. Jason was heading over toward him to see what was the matter. Darren saw this and hollered at him.

"Gangway Jason! Orion needs to hear this right now!"

Darren ran right past him and through the other brothers, all wondering just what the hell had gotten into the guy. He was wild and crazed, seemingly. He reached Orion's tent and then threw the flap open, quite non formally. Then he disappeared within.

Jason stared at the tent with the same surprise as them all. One of the brothers nearby scratched his head.

"Just what the hell got into that guy?"

"Maybe he saw a spider," Lance remarked. There was some general chuckling, and even Jason had to crack a smile.

The group slowly got back to eating, glancing back toward the tent at intervals. Jason was troubled by what he saw though. Darren had the calm and collected mentality that you would expect from a child of Athena. What could have made him so panicked that he would run right past his lieutenant and burst into Orion's tent? Even spiders didn't scare him that badly.

The meal was almost over when he saw the tent flap open. he sat up straighter when Orion walked out, Darren slowly walking out from behind him. Darren was slowly walking toward the left-overs of the meal when Orion approached Jason, his face a pale color. When Jason saw this, and then noticed the look of fear in Orion's eyes, he immediately stood bolt upright, the others doing the same.

Orion approached Jason and leaned close to his ear.

"Jason, gather the brothers in the clearing nearby. There is something...some new situation that we must discuss..." Orion's voice trailed off and he returned to his tent. Jason stood in shock at the tone of his lord's voice. It sounded rattled, shaken. Orion showing fear? Impossible! He was utterly fearless, bowing to neither man nor god. Even Artemis herself could not have scared him.

Jason could not think of anything to say. All he needed to do right now was to assemble the brotherhood in the clearing where he had mourned for Mikhail. That was obviously where Orion was meaning. After informing the rest of them as to the location, they made sure the refugees were tended to. Then the brothers all left in mass toward their selected rendezvous.

The walk was quiet and silent. Most did not know why they were going there, and most were also confused at to why. But they did as Orion had said and marched toward the location in question, with Jason leading the way. When they reached the place, Jason stood in the middle, with the brothers all mingled around him.

"What now?" one of them asked.

"Now we wait for Orion."

And so they did. They waited for a good fifteen or so minutes before Orion came, with Darren tagging along next to him. Orion was walking straight and proud, but there was a general feel in the air. A feeling of fear, and it was coming from Orion himself. He stood before them, the powerful presence that he was, and addressed them all in a quiet voice, almost like a father telling his children something that was going to make them burst into tears. He took several deep breathes.

"My brothers...we are in the face of a rather serious dilemma..."

There were some murmurs, but Orion continued.

"Darren has reported back from his mission to check on the compound. I wanted him to report back to see if there was any increase in activity. In case they sent out a scouting group to search for us and the refugees we rescued. And he has confirmed that they are indeed sending out a party..."

"Then we'll just ambush it in the woods, and then be done with it!" one of the brothers called, and their were some calls of agreement. But Orion was silent, and he glanced up at the moon for a moment. He had done that a lot lately, for reasons Jason did not know. Then he turned toward them all, and gave a smile, a rather sad one.

"Your confidence is unshakable, as always. But Darren has something to say, what he saw gathering there."

Darren stepped forward. The group was as silent as the night sky. Darren looked at them with a grim expression upon his intelligent face, and when he spoke, his words were louder than Orion's but that may have just been coincidence.

"I did as Orion said I did, I checked on the compound where we freed those people. And they are indeed sending out a party..."

"And the point is?" a brother asked.

"My point is that it is a rather large party. As in a small army."

That got their attention. A silence filled the air that was more silent than possibly even the grave. An _army_ was coming for them?

"How many?" Jason asked, his heart going overdrive in his usually calm heart.

Darren swallowed and the opened his mouth. He couldn't get the words out, trying as he might. Jason stepped a little closer and raised his voice to his command tone.

"Darren...how many were there?"

"I couldn't really count them. But if I had to guess...I would say at least a hundred...possibly more. They were scattered all over, and so I couldn't get a real count. But there is a lot of them."

The brothers looked at each other with stunned expressions. Just what kind of madman sent an entire legion to retrieve a group of weakened people? Over a hundred armed men going after a group of just over five dozen? Was it really worth it?

Unless they were not only going after the refugees...this seemed like a move to wipe _them_ out as well.

"That's not all..." Darren said.

This just kept getting better and better...

"They were unloading boxes of armaments. If I was to guess, they were military grade rifles, semi-auto at the very least. And full-auto at the worst. And bigger boxes as well, but I couldn't tell what they were..."

Brothers were lost in thought at the information they had just been told. A whole army of thugs was coming for them, armed to the teeth with military grade gear. And they were armed with bows, swords, and knives. In the firepower department, it was arrows against machine guns...literally.

Darren finished his report. He stepped back and Orion stepped forward, grim looks upon his features.

"You have heard what we now are facing. Now, what do you think we should do about it?"

Orion was different from many leaders. While he still had overall authority, he tended to allow them to consider their own course of action. And so the brothers were lost in thought, or maybe shock of what they heard. Gradually, voices rose and quested.

"What about the town? Could we possibly hide the refugees there?" a brother asked.

"If the authorities had not already done something about this place, then their probably being paid off or something. We can't go there for help."

"What about getting the people away from here through the woods, toward the next town over or something?" another asked.

"They are really weak from being in that place. They barely got away during the raid. We'd be like a bleeding deer trying to get away from a pack of wolves. And we can't ditch those people...we _can't!"_

There was a general understanding. There was no question in the minds of the brotherhood. They had got the people out of there in the first place. To abandon them would be inhuman, something that simply could not be done. No one in the right mind could ever do so, and not lose sleep for the rest of their days.

Jason decided to speak the reality of the situation.

"So we can't leave those people, and we can't get them away..."

Nods all around.

"We are vastly outgunned and outnumbered..."

More nods from more grim faces.

"And so we are left with only two alternatives..."

Dead silence. Jason rose his voice.

"We can either abandon these people and flee, or we can stay and hold this army of thugs off for as long as we can, giving them as much time as possible to get away. We die and give them a chance, or we run and live, and they die or worse."

Orion then stepped forward.

"You have heard all we know..now I let you decide...what do you do?"

Silence. There was neither talk nor even breathe, and one would think they went deaf. Even the animals of the forest were silent this night, as if they knew that something was going down. Each brother was lost in his own thoughts, his own battle of morals vs self-preservation. There was no way they could win this battle. The numbers and weaponry was too far in those guard's favor.

Dean stepped forward. All eyes were immediately on him.

"I was there...in that hellhole. I saw what was done to them, the brutality. And I declare it now, that I will stand in front of them, and give them as much of a chance for freedom as I can."

There was some nods. Dean stepped back. Micheal stepped forward.

"I first thought that these people would be a burden to care for. I didn't argue with freeing them, but I knew that it would be hard to care for them. I honestly felt that it would be better to give them some help and then send them on their way. But now, with that army coming...No. I can't just let them be massacred. And so I will defend them to my last breathe. If that is what is necessary, then so be it."

More nods.

Then it was like all eyes were on Jason. Jason felt them all upon him. There had been no calls to him, and he did not step forward to speak. But nevertheless, the brothers seemed to look at him in unison. He was the lieutenant, and so it was possibly because his opinions would matter the most. He stepped forward. He did not know what to say, but he opened his mouth and simply allowed his heart to do the talking.

"When I was young, I was abused, really badly. I think we can all relate to that in some way."

No one spoke a word, but the feeling through the air was all the answer he needed.

"I know that we were all afraid and scared. But we were given a second chance by fate, and Lord Orion..." he indicated him standing nearby. "Lord Orion gave us a second chance. We have all become brothers to each other, and all of us would sooner die than see it destroyed."

Brothers around him were breathing at an increased pace. It was not emotions rising, but a quiet determination running through them. A power was waking up in them, something that they had never felt before, even during the war with the huntresses.

"These people have suffered in ways we can not even imagine. They have taken it through all this time. These people deserve a second chance, and I feel that they should get it. And so I will take a stand and get them to safety...or I vow that I will die trying."

He meant every single word. There would be no more suffering for these people, not while Jason was still drawing air into his lungs. He stepped back and there was a different mood, different from the grimness that had filled the air initially. There was now a feel of determination, and Jason felt it coming from every single brother that was standing there with them on that ground.

Orion stepped forward.

"Do we stand and defend these people?"

Instead of gentle answers and nods, there was a cry of agreement. _Battle_ cries of agreement. The time for silence was over. THe borthers were determined now. Orion nodded and then slowly stepped back.

"Very well. We will make our stand here. I will pass the news af what is to come to the refugees. Make your plans. We will go over the final preparations tonight."

He paused for a moment, as if he was lost in though for a moment, and then he slowly smiled.

"You brothers make me proud that I was brought back to life. If I had not...then I would never know such courage as what I am seeing from you all. I am...proud of you all," then without a word, he slowly disappeared into the woods going back to camp. Brothers were immediately talking all at once, trying to theorize how to overcome this pending attack.

Jason turned toward Darren.

"Hey, Darren. Your supposed to be our best strategist. So what do you think?"

Darren was indeed the best strategist among them, being a child of Athena. But he looked at him with weary eyes.

"You want my honest thought?"

"Yeah."

"My honest thought is...were are royally screwed..."

He turned and left without a second comment. Jason stared after him and felt a twinge in her gut. Despite the morality of what they were doing, Darren was right.

This was going to be one hell of a fight...

**A/N**

** The fight of their life is coming. Will the brotherhood prevail? Or will they be overpowered by the numbers and firepower of the army of thugs coming for them?**

** You all have been great supporters. There is going to be just a few more chapters before the end. And I already know how it will all come down. I'll be working around the clock to bring it to life for all of you, so stay patient.**

** If anyone is interested, I am working on another OC fic, titled "Beneath The Winter Sky". I would love for you all to go over and see what you think.**

** See you in the next chapter, "The Stand".**


	9. The Stand

Chapter Nine: The Stand

Dawn. The morning dew was covering the ground. The crickets were chirping and the birds were singing. Animals were awakening and beginning their hunt for food. Up in the trees, the leaves gently rustled in the breeze. And on the ground, a line of black coated men were moving.

They were moving in a single file line of sorts. Each man had a man behind his shoulder. That man behind his shoulder also was behind the opposite shoulder of the man next to him. So they moved in what could be a blend of two ranks in one. Behind them stood a large man decked in battle gear, wearing a military helmet as well, and while not carrying a rifle like the rest or one of the bigger pieces, he still had the air of intimidation.

Carlos walked calmly behind his men, enjoying the cool air. Inside his bulletproof vest was hot, but the coolness of the air around him helped counterbalance it quite nicely. His boots were also ultra comfortable, and he felt that he could push his men forever in these. Conditions were perfect for a pitched battle. And the best thing was that no one was going to investigate.

That was right, no one. He had paid a call to the police and other authorities in the local town, and informed them of the situation. They promised to close the woods to hunters or travelers, and send no one to investigate the strange amount of weapon fire, in case the sounds should echo to the townspeople. He could hardly control his excitement.

He knew that behind his line of armed men, there was nothing that could touch him. While they were not given the bulletproof vests that he wore, they were still heavily armed enough to make mice meat out of anything in front of them. Their AR-15s were capable of firing a round each time they pulled the trigger, and he also had other men armed with some very _explosive_ weapons. There were also some armed with fully automatic machine guns, which would only add to the carnage. They all had plenty of ammo, enough for a whole day of fighting. But there was no way that the battle would last that long, maybe not even five minutes.

A line of a armed men a hundred strong was a formidable force for anything in these parts. Even a large army of police couldn't stop that kind of power.

**-Brotherhood Camp-**

The refugees were scared...and they should be.

Orion had told them of what was coming last night. Not one of them had probably slept. They were huddled in groups, most staying with family or close friends, and holding each other, their scared whimpers heard all through the night. Some children were crying, and parents, those that wee there, were holding them tight to them, as if trying to protect them from something they knew they could not. Mothers would hold their children to their chests, almost as if smothering them, and stroke the crying child's back.

A loving mother...sometimes, Jason could envy those people...

He shook that thought from his head. His mother had been sadistic, true. But if not for her, he would not have been found by Orion, and he would not have been opened to this whole new world, a world of myths come alive. He guessed he might owe her in a grudging type of way. He still didn't forgive her though...

A scout had come back recently and reported that the army coming for them had begun their sweep early in the morning, and that they should be here in the late afternoon, a little before nightfall. That could work in their favor. Visibility was usually pretty bad in the late afternoon, as the sun was setting. Maybe they could sue that to possibly mask themselves and pick them off as they came. Whatever happened, they would need to use every little advantage they could. Especially against the firepower and numbers they were looking dead in the eye.

He sat down on a rock and looked around at the brothers. Tents were being pulled down, for they would not do to not be mobile when the army came. The tents would be stashed somewhere hidden, in case the brothers ever needed to make use of them tomorrow. And that was a big_ if. _They wouldn't need them in Hades.

Jason looked at the brothers preparing in other ways. A group had been conscripted to sharpening everyone's blades. Others were making as many arrows as they could before the thuggish army was in the vicinity, and others were making those special arrows, the explosive kind. The plan was going to depend on whatever shock they could give them.

The refugees would be positioned several hundred yards back from the main defense line, to be ready to bolt the moment that word was given to them. The brotherhood would then fight with everything they had, and but those people as much time as they could in order to get away to somewhere half-way safe. If they could inflict a substantial amount of casualties on the army of guards, then maybe they would be too shocked to give a reasonably fast chase.

But that was a long chance. Just how much damage could they do to this modern army? This was not the huntresses. They were relatively equal in number and firepower to the huntresses. They may have had Artemis, a full-blown goddess with them, but the brotherhood had had the power of Orion at their back, enhanced as he had been. They would have laughed at an attack by the huntresses, so sure they were of their abilities.

But an attack from an army equipped with modern weaponry, and of about four times their number. Those odds were virtually suicidal to go against. But the brothers were not suicidal. That was not in their nature. They simply were fighting for something other then themselves now. Jason could not understand it, and the rest probably did not either. But there was something stirred within them when they rescued those people, and now ere confronted with a fatal situation. Death or flee and leave them. The answer was not even debatable...

Within Orion's tent, he sat there, meditating as hard as he could. He thought of the situation before them, and tried to find a possible way that they could overcome it. To his sadness however, he found that he simply could not do so. The army coming for them would be able to decimate them. But it would not decimate them, Orion vowed, without the fight of their life.

There was no way they could win. But there was a chance to get those people to safety, even at the cost of their lives. The vote had been unanimous. Not one brother objected. They would make their stand here and now, in the face of a truly evil thing, and they would spit in it's eye before giving it one hell of a fight.

He thought about something. What if there was a chance that he could...call to her? Maybe make an appeal of some sort? But how? There was no way of making a rainbow anywhere. The sun was not up. He decided to try a different method.

He sat up straight and tall, and blocked out all outside noises and thoughts. He focused on her face, that face that haunted his dreams. Her smile, the way she moved, and her eyes. That might have been the strongest attribute to Orion, her eyes. The moon was in them, and he was still as breathless looking into them as he was when he first laid eyes upon her.

He felt a strange tingling in his head, and a smile crossed his lips at what followed...

Outside the tent, the brothers were working tirelessly to prepare. Weaponry and arrows were made and sharpened. Explosives were filled with powder. Brothers were up in the trees, finding out the best firing positions that would enable them to fire and remain unseen.

Jason was directing logs being set up to make a kind of barrier to protect them in whatever ways they could. Anything that could possibly stop bullets was set up to crouch behind. They were needing to but time. Time for the others to get away. And so as long as they could stay alive, they could give them that time.

**-Several Hours Later-**

Jason lay in the early afternoon warmth, the sun having passed over it's center point some time ago. He guessed it to be around two o'clock. Before too much longer, he would be fighting for his life and the people behind him, against odds that would make Athena herself go weak at the knees.

Brothers were whispering to themselves in the quietness. It was strange in that there was absolutely no bird calls or the sounds of bugs or animals. It was dead silent in the woods. And it might be even more dead silent by nightfall. It seemed as though nature itself knew of what was coming, and it was bracing for it. Jason sat behind the log that he was using for cover and stared off into the woods, looking for any sign of movement. Just because the scout had guessed that they would be coming in the late afternoon did not mean there was not going to be any scouts sent forward.

But the woods were silent. Even the wind had stopped blowing. It was the world on mute. Brothers were still muttering to each other and themselves, possibly making peace with the gods and themselves before judgment came for them. Many were probably going through the same flashback s as he was, to various high points in their lives. Oh gods, was he really doing that.

Yes he was. As he lay there behind that log, memories came to him. They say that your whole life flows before your eyes before you die. But he thought that was when you actually were dying, not when you were just anticipating death. But the images of his life were before him, and he decided to enjoy the show, to take his joy in whatever he could before the final arrow was fired, before his final swing of his sword.

The memory of the first time he met Lord Orion came, dark and cold, yet filled with hope at the end. The rain crushing against his shivering and hurt body. His mother and sister laughing at him as they out their cigarettes out in his flesh. The rush of holding back his scream, as not to give them the satisfaction of his pain. Then the thudding sound as their bodies hit the ground, and the large towering man that stood before him.

The calm words spoken to him as he lay there. The face of Orion appearing out of the blackness of the night, bringing out something that had laid dormant within Jason, but had never been completely suppressed. He took the weak boy into his arms and brought him to safety. He fed and clothed him and revealed to him what he was, and how he had come back.

He saw images of his first practice fights with Orion, his test of will. He remembered the coursing through him as he got up from the ground after Orion pounded him. He remembered the small smile on Orion's face as he weakly charged him for the final time before Orion stopped him and told him that he had just proven all he needed to know.

He remembered the initial training, and the nights that Orion had sat with him, going through all the legends and myths that turned out to have been true all along. And then he remembered bringing Micheal and Gabriel to Orion, and the first time the ceremony for officially entering the brotherhood was done. Then Mikhail and Darren afterward. All through the line to today.

And now they were all facing the toughest challenge they had ever faced in their whole lives. The huntresses were a joke to this. This would be the fight of their lives, and it may very well cost them their lives. But every minute that they could hold those monsters back, every second, was one more second those people had a chance to get away. And that was going to be all they needed.

He laid down and close his eyes, allowing his mind to calm itself and brace for the trial of fire to come...

**-Near the Camp-**

It was going to be getting dark soon. Carlos swallowed his impatience though. It would not do well to be seen as impatient in front of all his troops.

They had been combing the woods for hours now, through most of the day. And he was slightly impatient now, for he would have loved to have immediately found the camp and then decimated it. Then they could have spent the rest of the day celebrating the end of those boys and then reclaiming their property. He had even reconsidered his previous position on them. After they killed off the boys, then the people who came here to help get his property back could have their way with them. The women and girls were fair game, and they could dispose of the boys as they wished. He could always find replacements. There were plenty of those in the local towns around here.

He grinned as they continued to walk. He noticed noticed the lack of noise around them, except for the crunching of their boots on the ground. It was strange to not hear the wildlife around them. Not even a bird was singing in the trees. Hell, he had not heard a cricket for a long time either. What, was nature itself suddenly aware that hell was about to be raised and gone wild?

He hoped they would find that camp soon...he had some vengeance to take...

**-Several Hours Later-**

It was not going to be long now.

It felt strange. All his life, Jason had fought battles against opponents that most people would quake in fear of. He had hunted the darkest creatures of mythology, survived attacks by the most evil of monsters. He had fought some of the most dangerous girls in existence, and had several times sparred with immortal goddesses. It was strange that it would come down to this. To die by the mortal hand, or the mortal bullet or knife.

Was it destiny that he and his brothers were now standing here, against some of the most evil beings they had ever encountered? Was it fate that they would be fighting for the lives of those who were unable to fight for themselves. They had all learned to hate women, even though it was put into them by a lie, by someone who in turn had been lied to himself. But even that was not completely unjustified, as Artemis really had committed atrocities against boys. Little boys whose only crime was that of encountering her camp.

Was it fate that all these things would come to pass, and here they make their stand? In a way, it would be a fitting end. Most of the brothers here had been badly abused by strangers and parents. They had joined the Brotherhood Of The hunt to escape the horrors of the world with a group that accepted them with not a second thought, to fell a kinship with those around them. And now here these people behind them, huddled and crying just a few hundred yards behind them, crouched down for cover, had been freed of such torment. And those that tormented them were now coming to get them, and the only thing between them and those monsters was the Brotherhood Of The Hunt.

Yes...it was indeed fate. They were making a stand against monsters that were far worse than anything from mythology. They were making a stand against evil that was seemingly straight from Tartarus. Sometimes, humanity can be the most evil of them all. And here they would make their stand, their possibly last stand, to give their last breathe, to make sure that at least some people may have a chance to be free of it.

Jason could not think fo any better reason to die...

Orion had rejoined them from his deliberations. he had sat meditating in the distance, and Jason was wondering what he had been doing. But now he joined them at the defense line, walking at a crouch behind them, talking quietly to each, saying a few words to each of them, just in case this was his last time to speak to each of them. Finally he reached Jason, and crouched down next to him.

"Jason, when I feel that we are about to break, or they begin to get to close, then I am going to call for you all cover me as well as you can, and I will attempt to get back to the refugees. I will tell them to run, and then I expect you all to gradually fall back, and fight as you go. Do you all have enough arrows?"

Jason nodded. Their quivers were utterly stuffed with arrows, as many as they would hold. Orion nodded.

Everything was dead silent. Orion stood up slightly and looked into the dimming vastness in front of them. It was still silent, yet he seemed to sense something. His mouth tightened and his eyes were suddenly determined.

"Positions...here they come..."

How he knew, Jason did not know. But he did as he was told.

Brothers crouched behind somewhat prepared fortifications. Logs and rocks had been positioned, anything that could naturally stop a bullet was placed in front of them. And the path behind them was also littered with natural cover, logs and trees as well. he logs were all strategically place, and the trees were naturally abundant, and thick. Clumps of them could provide some good cover for the camouflaged bowman.

Above the line, some brothers had positioned themselves within the trees, blending in with the leaves and branches. A good brother could pick off quite a few people from this position. But Jason doubted that they would be able to hold them in a solid line for long.

He took his position, and slowly peeked out from cover. He saw nothing for a while, and the brothers around him were probably hearing only the beating of their hearts gone wild. And then he heard it. The snapping of twigs and leaves. Loud fer and louder. The sound of scores of feet walking was becoming louder and louder, and then even louder. And finally, they caught sight of them. Jason did not gasp...but he took a notably sharper breathe at the sight.

They were marching in a ragged single file line. They were dressed all in black, in what looked like military style uniforms. They were mostly armed with rifles and Jason could see each of them with a side-arm to match. Those alone gave them an advantage. Brothers could load and fire their bows very quickly and accurately, but they were nowhere near the rate of fire a sa full semi-auto. And to make matters worse, some looked like they were carrying modestly sized machine-guns.

They were coming directly at them. Jason could not see where the line of them ended. Darren was right. This was an army coming for them. At least a hundred strong. Each one of them desiring to massacre the people behind them, and Jason felt the battle fury enter him. He notched an arrow, making pains to stay hidden. And then he waited.

Except for the crunching of feet, there was no sound. Jason did not even think he was breathing. All was quiet...

Orion lay at the ready some distance away from Jason, and took a deep breathe..

Brothers held their notched arrows ready to fire...

The line came closer and closer...

"Hey, what's that up there in the trees?" a gruff voice asked.

_"FIRE!"_

**(Carlos Negrero POV)**

He was about at the end of his chain. They had been combing these woods for hours on end, barely stopping to eat. The day was growing dim, the sun beginning to set on the horizon, and the air was growing cooler, thought that might be a blessing in the hot uniforms. He stayed behind his line, but his anxiousness to find the damn place was egging him closer and closer to taking the lead.

He walked behind them when he heard something. He slowed his walk and listened hard, trying to block out the footsteps of his forces walking in front of him. He swore he heard that coming from near them. He looked up to see the line of trees in front of them. Could that sound he heard be coming from them?

He walked slowly, his forced not slowing. Obviously they had not heard it. Then he swore he saw a sort of movement in one of the trees. It could have been a breeze rustling the leaves. But there was a problem with that theory. There was no wind blowing. And the he saw further movement, and swore he saw a flash of what was a...face.

He opened his mouth to call a halt.

"Hey, whats that up there in the trees?" one of his men called out.

Suddenly a powerful voice rang out from an unseen position.

_"FIRE!"_

And then all hell royally broke loose.

Something shot out from the tree where he had seen the movement, and there was a small explosion in the middle of the line. It was as if a grenade had exploded right in the middle of them, and the guards in the immediate vicinity of the explosion were mangled by the explosion, and shrapnel shredded into the others nearby. Cries of astonishment rang out, and then suddenly a second object shot into them, resulting in the exact same result. Then several more, at different parts of his battle line. Carlos was taken back at the sudden explosions. They had seemed to have been shot right out of the trees, but he had seen no rocket smoke tracing it back.

A volley of arrows suddenly fired out at them, and more of his guards were falling, this time with arrows in their chests, throat and some in their heads. Arrows? What the hell were these people, ancient warriors gone mad?

_"Fire back! Fire back goddammit!"_

**(Jason)**

_**"**__FIRE!"_

Orion's voice had not even died out before the first explosive arrow was launched. Jason savored the look of absolute shock on the face of the thugs as the arrow shot to the ground right in the midst of them. He saw the eyes of the ones closest to it look at it in shock before being blown to unrecognizable forms, and the one next to them screaming as shrapnel slashed into them. Then another, and another.

_"Let Loose!" _Orion ordered again.

The brothers all risked a second of rising up to fire a volley into the wave of black uniformed thugs. Jason saw his smack one of them straight through his throat, a burst of blood blowing out the back. Many of them fell with two or three arrows in him, and the brothers were quite good with arrows, quite good indeed. Jason immediately notched another in less than a second, and fired it again, this time taking a guard right in the chest. But he did not see him fall to the ground to die, for at that instant, a voice of their own gave the order to fire.

It was like the wind came alive when they did. The brothers all had to duck as the air around them became lethal to be in. The log Jason was taking cover behind seemed to be recoiling from all the bullets that were being fired into it. The guards might not have been able to see all of them, and so they fired blindly into the woods, simply hoping to spray the whole area and hit something. They probably would not hit much, but they would hit something for sure, which was evidenced in the scream of pain coming from next to Jason, several yards away.

The guards rifles fired away, their bullets flying out as fast as their triggers could be pulled. Machine guns were mixed in along them, and they were belching death like the likes Jason had not seen or heard before. And he heard another scream of pain. This time, he saw a brother near him, crouched behind a thick tree, take a bullet, no, several bullets, right in the face. It was utterly mangled beyond recognition as his head thumped to the ground, never to rise again.

The line of guards had been spread somewhat thin when the brothers had fired their first explosive arrows. Now it was beginning to compact, the guards at the flanks moving in closer, essentially making a semi-circle around the brothers. Orion was right. They would need to fall back pretty soon. They were never going to be able to maintain this line for long.

The fire slacked off briefly, the thugs maybe having to change magazines. Jason and mot of the rest took that moment to unleash another volley, and Jason could catch the split second view of several more guards going down. But when the fire belched from their guns once more, the air felt as though you could almost breathe in a bullet and die. Jason swore he felt one clip the top of his hair, missing his head by millimeters.

The fire slackened off once more, and Jason took the incredible risk of peeking out toward his left. And his heart took a momentary break from beating. Apparently the guards had figured out that they had spread themselves out and were no forming up. That much was already obvious. But what he saw about to come at them was what made his heart go blank.

He saw them preparing to fire. He had no way of getting an arrow over to that man's throat in time. There was just a second to scream a warning...

A flash of light...

_"RPG!" _Jason screamed as loud as he could.

The rocket smacked right into the front of the main line. Fire threw up from the ground and the earth itself shook. Jason felt himself thrown to the ground, which was what he was already taking cover on, hugging it, but he felt himself shoved harder onto it by the force of the rockets explosion. Obviously, they were not the only ones with explosives.

Jason fired an arrow over the side of his log without looking up. He needed to fire something back, but to risk his head was too much. He glanced over and saw other brothers doing close to the same thing, firing blindly over the side with their arrows. On the other side, several brothers were taking the risk of somewhat exposing themselves to get better shots. The group of thick trees they were in allowed them better protection then those who were crouched behind something. A brother fired another explosive arrow and managed to take about two guards down near the center.

But with the flanks of the army's line collapsing upon this position, they were going to be facing foes with huge firepower on three directions. They needed to fall back, and they needed to do it now.

"Jason!" a voice screamed into his ear, which was the only way he could have heard it. Jason turned to see Orion crouched next to him, a bow in his hand and a number of arrows gone from his quiver.

"Jason, when the fire slacks off, give me as much firepower as you can. I need some cover to get to the refugees. Once I am out of sight, fall back and do what we discussed!"

'Yes sir!"

Orion crouched facing the opposite direction. Jason screamed out as loud as he could, hoping some of the others wold hear him.

"When The fire slacks, give them another volley! Then when I call for it, fall back in zigzag run! Ready!"

The bullets fell among them in waves. Jason crouched behind that old log for dear life, as bullets smacked off the top parts of it. It was actually becoming shorter with all the lead that was shaving the top parts off. A brother fell from the trees above them, and when he reached the earth he did not move again.

The fire slackened as the thugs were mostly reloading...

"NOW!"

Thankfully, most of the brothers seemed to have heard his call. They each took the risk of raising themselves out of cover for a moment to to load and fire their bows as fast as they could. Meanwhile Orion took off at a full sprint down the path behind them, running in a zig-zag pattern. This was to help present a much harder target should the enemy was able to reload before he was far enough away. Jason saw Orion running, and even in the heat of battle, was surprised at just how fast the large man could run.

Thank the gods, he was out of sight when the next wave of bullets smacked into them. Jason heard one prick of the log just centimeters fro his head. Then another, and another. The guards seemed to have figured out where some of them were taking cover, and were focusing their fire on taking out the ones they knew about. Which would mean this old log would no longer be able to suit him for cover, as it would steadily disintegrate in the hailstorm of lead.

Some of the brothers were still firing, the guards thankfully not have recognized where they were. An arrow smacked into the chest of one, and he fell, his companion dropping to give first aid. As he did so, one hit him in the back of the throat. But those who were firing quickly had to cover themselves as the troops figured out their positions as well.

He heard a pop and a loud hissing sound. Another RPG round exploded near the line again, and Jason felt the damn log thrown back a bit. They had to fall back now for sure.

On his left and right, the fire was increasing steadily, as the guards on the flanks of the line were now joining the fight. A good chunk of the guards that had been in front of them were down, dead or wounded. But the rest were smart to lay down and present smaller targets now, and the brothers could not really take aim with the amount of lead flying around them.

The fire slackened for a moment...now was they're chance.

_"Fall Back! Fall back NOW!"_

Lady Luck seemed to have smiled on his voice, as it was heard by the brothers even in this hellish vortex of gunfire. Jason braced his muscles and then exploded from his perch, the area around him seemingly flattened by the amount of bullets that had smacked into it. He saw the more thin trees had been almost shot down, and the thicker ones, especially where brothers had been discovered taking cover, had been ravaged by ammunition. But the brothers all ran as one, in the same zig-zag pattern as that of Orion. Strangely, the guards were not firing as heatedly as they had been during the fight just seconds earlier, probably catching their breathe for a moment to mount a pursuit. A pursuit that Jason had no doubt was coming...

The refugees had huddled together throughout the whole ordeal just a hundred and a half yards in front of them. They could not see the battle itself, but the sounds were carrying easily to their hiding place. Women were weeping, men were huddled in the forefront, and children whimpered into the chests of their mothers. Garret and Elizabeth had stayed close to each other, wincing at the bursts of weapon fire, and cringing at the cries of pain.

There was movement coming for them, and several of the refugees tensed. But the figure emerged from the woods to be none other than Orion himself, sweat pouring from his face, and his legs pounding up the dirt as he ran. His large bow was in his hand, and he was wearing his standard black armor. He ran up to them and did not even pause to catch his breathe, though he may not have had to, and began to scream.

"Everybody must get out of here NOW! Make for the nearest town over. It is right in that direction!" he pointed to the way behind them all, opposite the sounds of sound of a _lot_ of gunfire.

"Whats going on?" a refugee shouted.

"We are falling back. You all must run as hard as you can and get some distance between you and the guards! We will try and but you as much time as we can!"

Refugees began to flee. Groups tended to run together by family and friend oriented bunches. They gradually ran in the direction that Orion had pointed out, a town that was closest to them, beside the obviously corruption laden one that they bordered. Many of them ran without a second glance. One woman cried out.

"God bless you all!"

Orion nodded in response.

"May the gods guide you to safety!"

He heard a child's voice cry out.

"Orion, ORION!"

He saw little Garret trying to run toward him, with his sister holding hm back, crying for him to hurry up and run with her. Orion took a few extra seconds to run down to Garret.

"I want to fight too!" Garret said. Courage was in no small dosage, even with someone so young. Orion gave him a smile in spite of the events around them.

'It is not yet your time Garret. I have the feeling we will someday meet again, in this world, or perhaps the next. Until then, look after your sister. Goodbye..."

Without a second glance, Orion charged back the way he came, to see if his brotherhood had indeed gone through with his orders and began to gradually fall back. Garret screamed for him and tried to run after him, but his sister still held him back...

Jason and the rest were doing as planned last night. The only reason they had been able to hold the line for as long as they did was because the guards had deployed themselves in search mode, being strung out in both directions. The element of surprise had worked as well, as they clearly were not expecting the explosive arrows. But once they realized they were under attack at the center of their line, they were able to unleash their firepower on them. And to add to it, the flanks of their line were beginning to close in on the action on the brothers left and right flanks, and so they would have been facing weapon fire from roughly three directions. And no mater how good they were, there was no way they could have held the line for more than maybe five minutes or so.

So they settled on this new tactic. After the initial contact, they would then begin to fall back in their special zig-zag running style, taking cover where they could, popping an arrow off at the enemy, and then bursting from cover toward the next available place that offered it. And they would maintain their zig-zag pattern to help present harder targets. No matter how good a shooter was, a moving target was always harder than a still one.

But with the amount of weapon fire pouring at them, wounding and death, even with their incredible agility and coordination, was inevitable. One could simply run into a bullet's path, or simply stop to change directions of their run just a micro-second too late. Both situations would result in death. And those RPG rounds were still a major threat.

Jason stopped and twisted his body around in another angled direction to the one they were running, and the bolted forward as hard as his legs could carry him. Just a second later, the ground upon which he had shifted his running angle threw up dirt as a shower of bullets smacked into it, intended for him.

This was the plan, to gradually wear down the forces coming at them in a battle of attrition, or at least endurance. To give the refugees enough time to put distance between them and the guards, by fighting a running battle and keeping their attention on the brotherhood, and not the refugees. Every second that they stayed a live was one more second for them.

Jason ran and then dived over a fallen tree, the tree trunk splatted with bullets as he hit the ground behind it. He notched an arrow and as quickly as he could, threw himself up, fired blindly into the mass of guards, and then threw himself to the ground. He repeated the process once more before exploding in a run toward the next sign of cover. In front of him, a brother was doing his zig-zag run and stopped to swerve in a different direction. As he did so, he apparently took just a mini second too long, and what looked like no less than seven bullets smashed into his torso and lower throat. The armor would have stopped the bullets, but there was no neck protection. He fell to the ground, gurgling blood, and there was simply nothing Jason could do for him, trying to stay alive himself. He leaped over his fallen brother and kept going.

The guards had formed now into a more square column type mass, their flanks now drawn in from the earlier fight. They ran after the boys, firing wildly, mostly from the hip. Bullets were filling the air faster than ever. Jason could swear that they had replaced the wind. He swore he could feel his hair flowing in the aftermath of a bullet's course. He deemed it an outright miracle that he had not been hit several times by now. Or maybe he had been and he did not notice. Either way, he had more important things to worry about. Like staying alive.

He dived behind a tree and assumed his firing position, He turned the corner and fired as fast as he could. But this time he felt a flash of pain and wetness behind his neck. He cried out through tensed teeth, and felt around his neck. The upper part of his back, where the armor opens up for his trap muscles and neck had had a bullet graze it. It was very much a flesh wound, but it stung like all hell. But he ignored the pain and fired a second arrow, and then did the same procedure again, with the sudden burst to ward fresh cover. Around him, his brothers were doing the same thing. He knew wounds were probably going to be inevitable for everyone. No one was good enough at dodging to escape the amount of lead around them unscathed. So he swallowed his pain and kept running and shooting. It was all he could do...

-0-

Carlos Negrero screamed at his men to push on, to finish their goal. He was loving every second of this battle. From the first shots his forces fired, to the arrival of his RPG units, it had been going rather well for them. Sure they were taking losses, but those were low payed employees. They could be replaced in a heartbeat from the local prisons.

He especially loved seeing these meddlesome boys running. They were trying to do a strange zig-zag type of run that threw off pursuers, or obviously trying to present harder targets. It was like an animal running away from it's prey. And that was how Carlos felt at that moment. Like a hungry mountain lion following a wounded deer, it's blood seeping the ground beneath it and draining it's strength. They could not avoid their bullets forever. And their wounded would suffer a fate worse then death...

-0-

Jason and the rest had been going at it for a while now. He felt his quiver was nearing empty. He had been running at a dead sprint, with erratic intervals to fire, for longer then he could remember. And he knew that if he was getting tired, then so were his brothers. What was left anyway.

He noticed the decrease of brethren still fighting this running battle. It heavied his heart to see a reduced number. But on and on they all fought. They knew what they were fighting for, and they would not give up, not while they were strill drawing breathe. The faces of those people drove him onward, making him call on reseves of strenght that he never before had summoned, not even during the final climatic days of the war with the huntresses. Then he saw it.

"There it is! Take cover there now!" he pointed at what he saw.

The brothers had prepared for this. They knew that they would not be able to last forever against the guards. Their firepower would eradicate them eventually, no matter how good they were. And so they had fought this running battle all the way to this point, to this last prepared position. It was now in sight, and Jason screamed out his command as soon as he saw it.

It was a improvised log fort-like area, with logs and fallen trees dragged around and then stacked if possible, to give better cover than what they had had lately. It was square in structure, with about fifteen yards length on all sides. The brothers had used the things nature had given them to make it suitable to use. To use in order to make their pursuers pay one last steep price in blood..before they were all annihilated.

In simpler words...they had made it for their last stand...

Jason and the others stopped their zig-zag run and made a dead straight sprint for their life toward this final bastion. Near Jason, an RPG round was heard firing, and a brother next to him was thrown to the ground. As he fought to get up, a furry of bullets smashed into him, and several inevitably hit vulnerable parts, forcing him to the ground. And so another soul passed to Elysium.

The RPG round had been fired from a considerable distance, and so they had a moment to get positions before the bulk of the thuggish army reached them. Lord Orion stood in the center and screamed encouragement at them. Jason's legs pounded the ground and he jumped into the makeshift fortification. Others followed, and they hit the ground within and immediately swirled around to face the oncoming army, appearing gradually in the woods nearby, still firing indiscriminately.

Jason felt his arrows were down to his lat few. He notched one and the brothers did the same. Orion was behind them, and was assuming command for the last stand of his brotherhood.

_"Ready!" _he commanded.

The brothers raised themselves just out of cover enough to get a clear line of fire. The guards were appearing in more numbers now, and their fire was increasing. The sprint straight for the final stand area had put some distance between them and the army, but the army was gradually appearing more and more. And their bullets would only come at them more and more, until they faced the full fury of the legion attacking them.

_'Fire!"_

The brother let loose at the initial targets. Their arrows sliced through the ari and tore into the first few guards. They fell, many with multiple arrows. Orion screamed another order.

_"Fire at will! Fire until you run out!"_

And the brothers complied, desperate to fire as much as they could before the guards could reattain their previous level of firepower. The bullets were coming at them faster and aster, as more guards were appearing behind those that fell before their volley. Jason fired again and again, taking a guard with each shot. He stayed above the logs this time, his cover meaningless now. they were all going to die, and he wanted to look them straight in the eye as he fired his last arrows.

Two bullets pounded into his armor, and a third went into his lower left shoulder, where it met the arm. These blew Jason onto his back, and the shot to his shoulder sent a spasm of pain through his whole body. He grit his teeth, not going to show weakness in front of his brothers. He slowly forced himself on his good arm back to an upright position and the used his bad arm to simply retrieve his last arrow. He happened to glance at it before he loaded it. And then he swore at himself.

It was an explosive arrow. He had had one all this time, been given golden opportunities to use it against the tightly packed guards, and he never drew it. He could be so blank at times...

He loaded it and peeked over the log wall, blinking several times when dangerously close bullets blew up chunks of wood. He scanned for a closely packed group of guards in which to fire his last, and most explosive arrow. Then he spotted the lone figure behind the main group of guards.

Something was different about him. The way he was so much more calm than his guards, who were all advancing at a crouch toward the brothers final defensive line. He wore much more elaborate clothing, and he carried only a pistol, which he was occasionally firing at them. There was a sense of something about him, and Jason seemed to realize something. In his heart, something was telling him that this was the leader of this army. This army coming to take the refugees away. And so there could only be one fate for him.

Jason slowly notched up his arrow, the pain all leaving him for a moment. He raised himself to his knees, his whole upper chest above being exposed to the weapon fire. he felt neither pain, nor the sensation of the bullets passing by him by millimeters. His whole mind was on hitting his target now.

He focused..and then fired...

-0-

Carlos had been overjoyed at the chase. Overjoyed at the sight of these boys falling dead one by one. Each one of them was going to be burned on a huge pyre, and he could already imagine the sight. he could give his employees a half-way decent burial afterward, the victory needed to be celebrated first. He could not see where the brothers ran off to when they suddenly stopped their whole charade with the zig-zag, and made a dead run for something in the distance. But they could not evade their fate for long.

He continued to follow behind his line of troops, now formed into a much thicker line, with the flanks now closer in and more guards assembled in the forefront. The firepower they would be able to deliver would be unstoppable now. It was only a matter of time. He walked with them for a bit longer before he saw the strange man-made fortification up ahead.

Apparently, these boys had been planning to use it, and Carlos had no doubt it was intended for use as a last stand. So be it. If they were expecting death, then he would be quiet eager to grant it to them. And he would not keep them waiting for long, as he had an appointment with a beautiful girl in his quarters tonight.

A volley of arrows shot from the little fort of theirs, and several more of his troops went down. But then those behind them had an uninterrupted field of fire and they opened up with a shattering hail of lead. These boys arrows were of no use against that kind of firepower. And when his RPG men get up here, that last little bastion they had made would be gone within seconds.

He smiled. And that was when he saw it.

For a split second he swore he saw another arrow traveling toward them. He assumed it would just hit his army and kill one of them, but this one had been fired at a strange angle, and was not oing for any of his men. It had been angled above them, and was heading for...

His mouth opened in a scream as he felt the heavy arrow rip into his chest. Blood burst from his mouth and he doubled over slightly, looking at the arrow in him with shock. He never counted on this, never. But what was really shocking was when half a second later, the arrow exploded, literally making him disappear in an explosion of blood and guts...

That was what was truly shocking...but he was quite dead before he could realize that...

-0-

Jason could not help but grin at his handiwork. The guards in the farthest back ranks stopped at the sudden shower of blood, and looked behind themselves only to see a scattering of body parts behind them. He loved the look of shock on their faces, but he could not look long, for a bullet suddenly scrapped by the top of his head, leaving a searing pain in his mind.

This time he could not help but cry out. He grabbed at the wound at the opt of his head. It was very shallow, and would probably heal, but that was unlikely, if the volume of fire and how much closer it was meant anything. Well, it did. It meant that the troops were very close now, and soon, the brothers would all be traveling to Hades.

He forced his back to the logs, and placed a had on his sword, wiping the blood that had trickled into his left eye. He glanced over to see Darren next to him, his own sword drawn, and his own quiver as empty as Jason's. Actually, most of the brothers were out by this time, and were drawing their swords. The guards attacking seemed to realize the slackening of arrow fire, and were redoubling their efforts, obviously smelling victory. Jason was smelling glory though. When the guards got very close, the brother shad planned to wait until the last possible second, and then burst from their cover. They would rush the line of thugs, and try to take at least one more down with them before going out in a final blaze of glory. It would have been a fitting end to them.

Darren grinned. He had been wounded in the thigh and right shoulder. He gripped his sword with both hands.

"I'm guessing this would be the end now, right?" he asked over the dim of gunfire.

Jason could not help but chuckle at his light comment.

"Yep old friend, this is it."

"Well LT, it's been a pleasure."

"Pleasure was all mine Darren. See you in Elysium..."

The brother all gripped their swords. The guards line was less than ten yards away. They would wait for the last...possible...second...

Orion drew his huge broadsword...

The brothers braced themselves, saying their final prayers...

The guards actually began to whoop their joy as they fired, feeling the end was near...

And in that instance, a blinding flash of light filled the area. Jason and the others grunted at the sudden brightness, and looked over the log wall to see what could have caused it. The weapon fire immediately stopped as well. When the light died out, the sight that stood between the guards battle line and the brothers final fortifications shocked them all.

In the area between the two groups, a young girl was standing. She seemed no older than twelve years old, yet power beyond imagining was flowing from her. She was dressed in a silver hunting dress, and-was an extremely beautiful child. But this was no child, and the guards seemed to realize that. Well, most of them. They all stared at this strange girl who had suddenly appeared in a flash of light with a mixture of awe and amusement.

Her silver, moon like eyes looked back at the brothers, ravaged and greatly reduced in number. And then she looked toward the army of guards, armed to the teeth with modern equipment and weaponry. Just what could the bow and arrows she was carrying do against that?

When she spoke, however, it was not the voice of a child. Well, it sounded like one, but it had power incredible behind it.

"These boys are under my protection. You all are to turn around and flee as fast as you can back to the place from wince you came."

There was a shock for a moment. And then a man called out, almost drunken sounding in his response.

"And just what are you going to do, little girl? Shoot us with your little arrows?"

People could be such idiots...

"So be it," she said. Then she turned and looked at the brotherhood, but she seemed to be looking more or less directly at Orion, who stood at his full height and took her in. He nodded, and she nodded back. And then she began to glow, brighter and brighter. Sparks of light began to shoot from her.

Artemis had come...and she was about to wipe out the whole force...and them with it if they did not act now...

"_Shield your eyes! Get down!_" Orion screamed to his remaining brothers. Every single one of them hit the deck.

The guards meanwhile, were not so lucky. The girl seemed to become a supernova, a wave of power, and each one of them had a second to scream before they felt themselves disintegrate.

It seemed to last for an eternity before the light died enough for Jason to risk opening his eyes. When he stood up, to his full height, he saw the area in front of them to be devastated. Trees and vegetation was scorched, and the guards were gone. Absolutely no trace was seen. The brothers all stood up in unison, and took in the devastation that Artemis...yes, the goddess they had fought against herself...had caused.

To defend _them? _

Orion began to slowly walk toward the goddess. He was unsteady in his gesture, as if all he had gone through in the past hour had finally caught up to him. And it had to Jason as well, for it seemed that his head wound had taken it's toll. The last thing he remembered before his world went black was Orion slowly walking to be face to face with Artemis herself...

**So, did you all like it? I hope so. I was watching movies like Tears Of The Sun and a lot of "last-stand" type movies, in order to get the feel. I can only hope that you all could feel it as I did typing it. The next chapter will be the last, and then...well, who knows? Please review and tell me what you think.**


	10. After The Fire

Chapter Ten: After the Fire...

_Wake up..._

_ Awaken, Lieutenant..._

_ Awaken..._

Jason's eyes slowly fluttered open. The world was fuzzy and out of focus, almost as if he were seeing the world through a window of plastic. But he blinked and squinted, and slowly his sight returned to normal. The first thing he saw was Darren's face. And despite himself, he could not help but grumble.

"Darren..." he mumbled.

Darren brightened up at the awakening of his lieutenant. he threw down the book he had been reading, propped himself up from his lying position with his back to the tent, and hobbled on his bad leg over to where Jason was waking up. Jason looked up and saw Darren's grinning face, still ravaged by the hellish battle they had narrowly survived.

"You know something?" Jason asked, "I just realized."

"Just realized what?"

"Your face is not the best thing to wake up to in the morning..."

Darren cracked a grin and chuckled.

"Well, you look just like I feel. Speaking of which, how do you feel?"

"To put it bluntly...like shit."

"Well, join the club my friend."

Jason slowly began to get up. his muscles were stiff and thuggish, and so he needed to take a minute to gather his strength in order to push himself up. Finally, he stood at his full height in front of Jason. Darren grinned.

"Still taking the theatrical stance are we?"

"Oh shut up..."

Then Jason had to ask the fateful question. His mood suddenly became raw and sorrowful.

"Darren...how many did we...well, how many have we lost?"

Darren sighed and looked at the ground. Then he looked at his lieutenant straight in the eye.

"Ten...we lost ten of our own today. And of the fourteen of us still here, well, we're all pretty messed up..."

Jason nodded, and swallowed the sorrow that raged in him. Ten of his brothers were now dead, sent to Elysium by the hand of true monsters, and were now living forever. While he felt a twinge of sadness for their loss, Jason could not think of a better way to die then for the cause that they had taken.

"What of the refugees?"

Darren brightened up a bit.

"Most got away, toward the next town."

"Most?"

Darren actually chuckled at that.

"Well...Garret sneaked back here just after the battle. Elizabeth was with him. He seemed sad that he missed it."

Jason nodded, and did not show emotion at this revealed info. But his heart swelled at the courage of the young boy. For someone so young to willingly run toward the site of one of the most hellish fights one could be in, and still want to fight, showed that this boy was something special. Maybe not special in the "super-human-know-it-all" but something else. Something that was above powers or skills. Garret had courage...and a lot of it.

He began to walk out of the tent, but Darren stopped him.

"What's the deal?" Jason asked.

"You might not want to step out there. Why don;t you just chill here until they're gone?"

"Till who's gone?"

Darren allowed a brief flare of anger to be seen.

_ "Them..." _

Jason did not need to investigate further to know what Darren was talking about.

"Let me go Darren. I won't kill any of them...unless they ask for it..."

Darren smirked and nodded, removing his arm. Jason nodded once at him, taking notice that several other unconsciousness brothers were lying within the tent as well. Then he opened the flap and walked out.

The Hunters Of Artemis had indeed arrived, shortly after their mistress had saved them from that final attack. They had run in blindly, seeming to be trying to catch up with their mistress, and had run smack into the remnants of the brotherhood. There were some tense moments. In actuality, some _very_ tense moments, before Artemis ordered them to stand down, and Orion simply told his brothers it was safe to collapse now. He had not meant literally collapse, only to put down their weapons. But in the minutes that followed, quite a few of the brothers really did faint from exhaustion, combined with the blood loss from the wounds every single one of them were bearing. If a brother had not been killed, then he had been wounded, most of them several times.

This was dangerous. Jason had no doubt that the huntresses would be having thoughts of revenge for the actions of the previous few months. And the frightening thing was that the brothers were in no position to fend them off properly. They had exhausted their arrows, and their swords, with the loss of adrenaline that had been flowing through them during the entire battle, were heavy in their hands. If the huntresses were to deny their mistresses orders and attempt to kill them, then the brothers would still fight to the death. But it would be a very short battle.

But to every single one of the remaining brothers complete shock and awe, the huntresses made no such attempt. Apparently, they knew of loyalty. They stayed a respectful distance away, and did not bother them unnecessarily. But they did do something, and it was not by their mistresses orders...

They had helped carry the dead. The dead brothers that were scattered over the long trail of their running fight were sought out by the huntresses, and then carried back. Jason could not believe it. These huntresses should be spitting on the dead boys. They were enemies not several months since, and tensions had not really died down.

And yet here they were, carrying the dead brothers with a strange amount of care, as if they cared if they roughly set down the fallen brother. Jason did not think he would ever live to see the day that huntresses would "degrade": themselves by gently carrying the dead body of a former male enemy to a final resting place, set him down, and then gently wrap him in a blanket. But they did so, and most seemed to actually look at the body in a moment of remorse.

The huntresses were showing mercy...now this was not something one saw everyday...

In fact, Jason learned another thing that they had done, and this was also not with their mistresses orders. They had taken the wounded brothers, many of whom were too weak to resist, and had cleaned their wounds before bandaging them. A dead brother was one thing. But for them to actually take a wounded and collapsed boy and treat the grievous wounds he had suffered in the past hour, made Jason pause.

He reached up and felt the bandage on his head. And the one around his trap muscles. And his left arm...

"That one girl did yours."

Lance! Jason walked over to him, seeing him bandaged along his chest, which was bare to the world. He grinned at him with his characteristic grin. His sandy blond hair was filthy, and his green eyes were glazed over. But the son of Aphrodite grinned up at him like it was just another outing.

"I am glad you made it out, pretty boy." Jason said with a grin.

"I'm glad you made it, oh great fearless leader."

"What do you mean though...my bandages.."

"That lieutenant of theirs, Thalia. She was the one who picked your hide up and fixed you up. Maybe you should thank her...though I wouldn't get too close...they bite you know..."

"Yeah, I think I will. And I won't extend my hand for them to bite."

"Good."

Lance went back to staring into his fire. Jason looked around for that familiar black haired, blue-eyed, daughter of Zeus. What he was going to say was evading him. He really was not sure how to go about it. He had fought her with a passion before, made it his personal aim to kill her during the war. They had bee the arch-rivals in that conflict, the respective leaders of their groups, and seemed to be the only ones able to stand up to each other. Well, he had beaten her by her own admission during the final battle, but he had a thought ever since that she had done so only to try and negotiate an end to it all.

He saw the huntresses mostly gathered in one place, after all the fallen brothers were finally collected. They laid in a row in the middle of the last stand area, side by side, with their sword and bow at their feet. Jason took a moment to bow his head toward them, and then slowly began to walk toward the huntresses. They were situated at the other end of the area, opposite the gathering of wounded brothers, and were exchanging glances. Jason was expecting warlike death glares to be flashing, but after the treatment of the wounded brothers and the careful placing of their dead, the brothers were glancing at the hunters with...strange uncertainty. The huntresses were glancing back with strange looks of their own, but Jason did not see the same type of aggression that he thought he would.

He came closer and closer. Several of the huntresses saw him making for them, and as he came closer and closer, they were obviously getting more and more uncomfortable. He came closer and several of them placed their hands on their swords. Jason grinned inside, though he did not grin externally. He was finding it fun to scare them. He got really close, and then several of them stood up to take a defensive position in front of their leader.

Jason chuckled.

"So you huntresses are scared enough of a wounded boy to try and fight him with your swords and armor? Well, I guess I made an impression last time..."

They glared at him with what seemed like the same fury a cat would glare at a offending mouse. Jason grinned and braced for an attack, but only heard a chuckle coming from behind the guards. A girl stood up behind them, and gently pushed them aside. Thalia Grace stood in front of him, and Jason opened his mouth to say something. But then he had a better idea.

"Why don't we...well, take this elsewhere?"

"And why would you want to do that?" Thalia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because I don't want to say this while the rest of your girlfriends all are staring at me like they are going to want to run me through right here and now."

Thalia chuckled again.

"Boy, if they wanted to kill you all, they would have done it while you were half-dead in that little fort you made. Come on then..."

She walked away from her huntresses. One ran forward and grabbed her arm.

"Thalia...do you really want to be alone with...him?" she asked. She looked vaguely familiar, and then he remembered. It was that huntress they had captured during the war. Thalia nodded.

"I'll be alright Lisa. I'm armed and he's not. I have my armor on, and he does not. And plus he's not exactly in shape for a fight. This shouldn't be long."

Lisa slowly nodded, though she glared at Jason, who only grinned at her. He found he was loving to rile these little girls up. It was...satisfying. He then followed Thalia through the woods for a short distance, when she stopped and turned around.

He knew what he should say. Honor bound him to say it, even though it would be painful to say it to someone he spent so long hating and had fought so hard against. But honor answered an act of mercy, and so he was bound by natural law to do it. But he could not force his mouth to open, simply to regard her with his gaze, hoping to overpower hers. She answered the challenge, and a short staring match ensured. But she broke it when she gazed around at the devastation wreaked on the woods from the battle.

"Well...seems you guys made a hell of a stand..."

A huntress was complimenting them too. Damn, this truly was an alternate dimension.

"I'm glad your impressed..."

Thalia was looking around at the destruction idly for a few more seconds, as if she was not wanting to look him directly in the eye. Jason, to his guilt, was doing the same thing.

"Lady Artemis said she was called her. She wouldn't tell us what though..."

_What?_

"We passed by some people running away in the distance. Couldn't stop and see what was the issue though..."

"You saw the refugees!"

Thalia was taken back at his sudden change of tone. She jerked her gaze back to him and looked shocked to hear him suddenly burst out with such a tone. Jason needed to know. He needed to know what their fate was, for he and the brothers had suffered so much for them...and many had died for them.

"The what?"

"The refugees! You saw them!"

"I guess you could call them that. Refugees from what?"  
"Are they safe?"

Thalia looked at him in confusion, but answered fluently.

"Yeah, they didn't seem to be in any trouble that we could see. They seemed to be running toward a town that we passed by running over here."

Jason closed his eyes for a moment, and then bowed his head. He thanked the fates that their sacrifice had not been in vain. The refugees were safe. The town they had directed them toward was not too far off. They would be alright. Especially now that they would not be pursued by anyone. Thalia noticed his reaction to the news and took a step back. She tilted her head slightly in confusion.

"What were they running from?" she asked.

"We had sent them off. We told them we would buy them as much time as we could..."

"So you were..._protecting_ them?"

Jason slowly nodded. Thalia tilted her head a little more and stared at him as if she were contemplating something she knew that was now being challenged. She pursed her lips for a moment.

"Never thought I would see you people risk your lives for anyone else.."

Jason's head shot up and his eyes were flaring in anger. She was going to say something like that to them after what they had just gone through? Thalia seemed to realize what she said and chuckled.

"Easy there, boy. I wasn't serious."

"You damn well had better not be..."

"Take it easy! I wasn't serious Jason. Geez, you boys need to learn to control your emotions..."

Jason growled and walked oiff several feet. Thalia stayed where she was and looked at him with her electric blue eyes, almost as if she were still trying to discern what it was she was seeing. This boy seemed nothing like the brutal monsters he had seemed just months prior. Or maybe he never was a brutal monster in the first place. She had seen him care for his brothers like they were his family. The passionate way he had thrown himself in front of Nemesis and attacked her was proof of that. And what the brothers had done now, for these people that she had spotted making their way toward the town they passed...

"Jason," she called. He slowly turned to face her.

"What was the issue with those people? Why did you all take a stand against that whole army of mortals, with the firepower they had?"

Jason looked at the ground, and then looked at her.

"Because huntress...it was the right thing to do. It was the _honorable_ thing to do..."

Thalia needed no more information then that. But she was not done with her quest for information.

"How many died?" she asked.

"You people brought the bodies in. How many were there?" Jason countered, though his voice was soft, as if he was lost in thought about something that saddened him to a great extreme. Thalia knew that look all to well. It was the look of a leader after a great battle, thinking of those that were lost, and believing that he had been responsible for their death.

Jason turned his back to her, and his shoulders slumped. He was not crying, but he was mourning alright, and mourning deeply.

"We don't know how many of you were here when this fight began. Do you know how many of your brothers have been killed?"

She had said _brothers_. She had not said _males_, or _boys_. She had referred to them by their title. Jason did not know why he noticed that, but sometimes, the little things were what counted the most. He raised his head slightly from it';s drooped position, and stared off into the woods, where the fight had first begun at the initial line.

"Ten...the report I got was ten..."

Thalia nodded. She herself had seen the evidence of the battle, even if she had missed it's carnage. The woods around them were a mess, with small craters all around, almost as if they had been hit by explosives. Bullet casings were seen everywhere, and Thalia could swear that she saw the occasional spot of blood. Jason was bandaged in three places, his lower neck, his left arm, and his head. They all, every single one of the survivors, had suffered pretty bad wounds. And even now, they still had fighting spirit in them. That was something Thalia could admire, no matter who was standing before her.

She walked over to the shaking Jason, and tenderly reached out her hand, placing it on his shoulder. Jason did not react much, but allowed her to place it there. This was not her enemy, not anymore. Jason was someone who may have been misguided about gender issues, but he was loyal. Loyal in the extreme to his brotherhood. She remembered Zoe Nightshade, and noticed that Jason was sharing those exact same characteristics.

Jason slowly turned and regarded her for a moment. Then he took a deep breathe and began to say what his honor now demanded.

"Thalia...thanks."

"What now?" she asked. She had not expected it.

"For helping us. I don't think our medics were in shape themselves to do what you...hunters have done for us right now. I'm not even sure if they're still alive. And our dead...thank you for being gentle with them."

Thalia nodded.

"Why did you do it though, if I may ask?"

Thalia looked him straight in the eye.

"Because it was the right thing to do..."

-0-

Orion's ten was darker than usual. The fire that was started had died down, and the black night was seemingly even blacker than usual. Orion did noit take notice of it, did not take notice that the sky was seeming to reflect his emotions right now. He was barely even able to take notice of the goddess sitting on his bed, her hands in her lap, and weapons lying next to her. She was following his pacing, but she said nothing. Orion would need some time to think, to feel the losses he had endured. She might be able to help him with the rest. She _intended_ to help him with the rest.

Emotion raged out of Orion like a supernova. She felt a huge twinge of sympathy for him, as she herself had gone through this as well, when many of her hunters were killed defending Manhattan. But the huntresses had not faced a foe like what the brotherhood had faced here. The brothers had made a stand against an army of mortals, but mortals armed with modern weaponry and firepower. And they had been vastly outnumbered. This was a stand for the ages, even if no one else knew of it.

Artemis watched him continue to pace. Finally, she decided she had had enough of his silence.

"Orion, please sit with me."

Orion looked at her with a loving gaze, but the love in it was hampered by the pain of his loss. Many of his finest brothers had died today. Boys he had known for years. Boys he considered his own sons. He sighed and looked away.

"My love, if I sit down, I will never be able to stand again. This pain in me is just too much. I must occupy it with something, or it will overcome me."

"You will overcome nothing by pacing Orion. Sit next to me, and just allow it to run it's course."

Orion stopped and closed his eyes, swallowing. Then he slowly sat down next to Artemis, who snuggled closer to him, and took one of his battle scarred hands in her own. It was huge in her twelve year old hand.

"Orion, why did you make such a stand?"

"I didn't..."

Artemis did not understand. She cocked her head as she looked at him.

"What do you mean you didn't? Is this not your brotherhood?"

"Yes..."

"Then why did you choose to fight?"

"I didn't choose to."

"Then who did?"

"They did...they all did..." he waved his hand out, indicating his brothers who were all awoken now, and huddled around several fires in the night's cold air, each of them staring into it, probably fighting their own battles within themselves. Artemis saw what he meant, and nodded slowly.

"You brothers...they chose this?"

"Yes Artemis. They all decided to fight that army of monsters. They may have been mortals, but they were far worse than anything from Tartarus. I have seen what they did...and it is enough to make even Lord Hades stomach ill."

Artemis nodded. She had seen the refugees running toward the local towns. But her concentration had been on saving her love and his group from the army she saw attacking them.

"And so each of them took a vow. I could not stop them. I couldn't. They all wished to stand and fight, and to give those poor souls time to reach safety. And so we fought. By the gods, I have never seen my brothers fight like they did...we were trying to take as many of those beasts down with us as we could...before we were all killed ourselves.

"You intended to die?" Artemis asked, alarmed.

Orion opened his mouth and struggled to get words out.

"I did not see us attaining victory. It was impossible. That was why we fought a running fight all the way down here, to that little log fort you see. We were intending to fight them to our last, right in this spot..."

"And you did not think that I would come?" Artemis asked, her voice soft. Orion looked at her for a moment, and then looked into the center of the dying fire.

"I felt you might. But I could not shake the feeling...that I had hurt you too badly to be forgiven. And so your revenge...our deaths...you would simply leave to those mortals."

Artemis scooted on the bed until she was facing Orion directly, without having to turn her head. She watched him look into the flames of the fire, not seeing her at all. His mind was still playing the images of his brothers fighting for their loves, and dying one by one.

"Orion, you made the connection. You felt me there. And I made sure you knew that I was coming...didn't I?" she talked to him as if she were scolding a child. But it did not bother her, as Orion, technically, was far younger than her. And when one acted like a child, one was treated like a child. And Orion, at least to her, was acting rather child-like.

"Yes...you did..."

"Then why would you doubt that I would not come when you needed me most?"

"I simply...I simply did not know for sure..."

Orion, when I say I am going to do something, I keep my word. And do you honestly believe that I would have allowed you to come to harm?"

Orion slowly shook his head. His emotions had begun to annoy her. She could understand him being upset over the loss of his brothers, but this was one step too far. Before she could scold further, Orion turned to her slowly, and looked into her eyes.

"You are right Artemis. I should not have doubted you...I do not know what to say. We would have been wiped out completely if you had not arrived and aided us. I would say thank you...but it seems so little for so much..."

Artemis flashed in a bright light for a moment, and then reappeared in her more adult form, the form Orion was more familiar with. She did not break his gaze as she slowly took his hand in hers.

"Then do not say anything...Orion."

There was no further need for talk, nothing else needed to be verbally said. They looked into each others eyes as their faces slowly came closer, and then Artemis's lips slowly brushed Orion's, a kiss that was all too familiar, and one that she had sorely missed. They broke apart for a moment, and then Artemis smiled.

"Your welcome..."

Their lips came together again, and the night did not seem so dark...

Suddenly, Orion and Artemis heard the tent flap open, and they instantly broke apart. A young boy walked slowly into the tent, a young girl peeking out from behind him. Garret saw Orion sitting there, and his mouth broke into a grin.

"Orion!" he rushed inside, and grabbed Orion's waist in a hug. Orion laughed and wrapped an arm around the happy boy, Elizabeth skipping inside as well. Garret had dug his head into Orion's lap, and Orion agve him several reassuring stroked across his back. Then he forced Garret to brake away, so he may see the young boy's face.

"I heard you tried to return to the fight?" Orion asked.

Garret slowly nodded, as though he was thinking he had made the wrong call.

"Garret, that was very rash...and to be honest, I have never, ever..."

Garret was cringing.

"...seen that much bravery in someone so young."

Garret had to take that in for a second. But when he saw Orion's grin slowly breaking out, he laughed and was practically jumping for joy. Elizabeth walked behind him and they both looked up at Orion with smiles from ear to ear.

"And just who would these two be?"

Garret finally noticed the strange woman sitting next to Orion. He was taken back by the sight of her, and couldn't form an answer very quickly.

"I...uh...U uh...I'm..."

Orion laughed, for the first time in a while.

"Do you remember the story about the hunter and the goddess?" Orion asked.

They nodded, their eyes darting back and forth between Orion and Artemis.

"Well...there she is..."

Garret's jaw practically hit the ground at that statement. He slowly turned and regarded Artemis with just a little more awe, and took a step back. Elizabeth was not as taken back, but she maintained a distance between her and Artemis. Artemis saw this and simply chuckled.

"What stories have you told them, Orion?" she asked. Orion chuckled as well.

"Just the ones I need to get them satisfied, my lady."

-0-

The brothers were formed up in two rows, standing ram-rod straight, or as much as some could do in the state they were in. The formation seemed so small now, as those that were no in it were lying on the ten pyres built within the final stand area. Jason stood before the formation, and turned to face his brothers. The huntresses stood a certain distance away, and made neither sound nor movement during the ceremony.

"What these brothers did will never be forgotten. What they stood against, cruelty, abuse, and slavery, will always be remembered. Their stand here will be for the ages, even if only us here know of it. But that is enough, for if even one brother here remembers them, then no matter where they may be...they have become immortal."

Jason then did an about-face and Orion walked up, and performed the last gesture given to a fallen brother. He placed his palm upon the forehead of the boy, and then bowed his head, the only time he would bow to a brother. He lit the wood beneath each pyre as he finished, and then walked back to in front of Jason, a little to the side.

"Find peace brothers." he called out. The brothers remained silent throughout the entire burning, the smoke being seen as the symbol of their soul passing into the beyond. The huntresses did nothing, seeing the sacredness of the ceremony, at least to the brotherhood.

After the last of the embers were blowing in the wind, Orion turned to Jason.

"Jason break camp. We are leaving."

"Yes, sir..."

**-Two Weeks Later-**

Three firgures moved through the woods, toward a strange hill in the distance. Two of the figures were that of children, both of them practically skipping in happiness. THe third was much more controlled, obviously quite a bit older older. The figures stopped at a nearby hill, from which the hill that symbolized their destination was within sight.

"I can't believe that we're demi-gods!" Garret cried happily. He and Elizabeth had been practically dancing around Jason's heels as he led them toward the only real haven for demi-gods. Artemis had gone ahead and placed the call to Chiron, as Orion was not sure that the campers or their counselor would be happy to see him in a message.

"I can't believe it either!" Elizabeth said. Jason smiled at their happiness, as he knew this had to be the best option for them. Garret was too young to join the brotherhood, and Elizabeth needed time with her brother. They stopped their antics and then looked sadly at Jason.

"Are you sure that you cannot stay here?" Garret asked.

Jason slowly shook his head.

"My place is with my brothers Garret. But I will keep in touch, as long as you are willing to keep in touch with me."

"Always!"

Jason chuckled. There was shout in the distance, and several people in orange T-shirts were seen at the hill in the distance, waving toward them. Garret saw them and waved back.

"You should go now Garret. Your place is here, with your sister."

Garret looked at Jason and tears welled up in his eyes. He ran over and grabbed Jason in a tight hug. Jason wrapped his arms around the young boy, and allowed him one last moment of comfort, before he found comfort with his sister and other like himself.

"Do you know the special abilities of Hephaestus?" Jason asked. Garret looked up at him with wet eyes and shook his head. Artemis had found out their ancestry just before she left. And then revealed just why they had made that necklace for Lord Orion...

"Hephaestus is the god of blacksmiths, a builder. He builds and invents things. So do you know what I want you to do?"

Garret shook his head.

"I want you to take your sister, and I want you to build you and her a better future. Can you do that for me?"

Garret nodded. Jason stepped back, smiling at him.

"We are never far away Garret. In your darkest hour, should you and your sister ever have the need...all you ned to do is send the call."

Garret nodded, and Jason gestured his head toward the camp entrance.

"Go now, my friend."

Garret slowly turned back and walked with Elizabeth to the hill. There were two people in Orange T-shirts standing there and they shook their little hands.

"Welcome to Camp Half-Blood!"

The kids nodded, and turned back toward the hill they had been on. But Jason was gone...

Jason watched them from the protection of the trees, and smiled as Garret and Elizabeth stepped past the camp's border. He remembered the weak young boy that Garret had been, and the advancements that he mad while with the brotherhood. He knew that whatever Garret chose to do, he would excel. He was simply of that kind of caliber

_After you have passed through the fire...there is nothing else that can burn you..._

_Fin_

**Well, it has been a real pleasure writing this. I was not really sure about what to go with it, but eventually this story just came together in my mind and so this is what happened. I hope you all have enjoyed it.**

** Goodbye...**

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** WAIT! I'M NOT DONE YET!**

** You really want it? Well, then I guess I have not choice then...**

** To Be continued...**

** Coming soon...**

_ Brotherhood Of The Hunt: Until the Light Dies_


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